Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,697 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,283 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in El Dorado, AR costs roughly 1% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: El Dorado, AR 23% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$8.03 COP 25.1K

115.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$48.26 COP 150.8K

22.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 $11.09

$9.77 COP 30.5K

13.51%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$2.91 COP 9,095

77.66%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.94 COP 6,074

57.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.52 COP 4,754

59.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.09 COP 9,663

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 $6.46

$5.74 COP 17.9K

12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.36 COP 4,262

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.39 COP 7,460

13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 COP 5,314

65.88%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.87 COP 8,967

19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$9.94 COP 31.1K

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$10.78 COP 33.7K

11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 $22.26

$14.73 COP 46.0K

51.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.09 COP 12.8K

10.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.57 COP 4,911

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.13 COP 6,642

31.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.21 COP 6,917

78.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.05 COP 6,396

-22.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.50 COP 4,700

64.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.19 COP 3,718

67.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.16 COP 3,619

59.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$3.90 COP 12.2K

137.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-17.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.58 COP 4,948

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.83 COP 8,836

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.17 COP 3,650

78.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.28 COP 4,014

93.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.09 COP 6,537

-30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$8.62 COP 26.9K

181.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.30 COP 4,056

-30.77%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

34.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.28%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 $134

$176 COP 550.1K

-23.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$13.37 COP 41.8K

340.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.30 $39.30

$29.89 COP 93.4K

31.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 $42.29

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 $9.25

$6.20 COP 19.4K

49.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,045 $1,045

$793 COP 2.5M

31.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

110.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-41.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.70 $34.70

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-40.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$136 COP 425.9K

-41.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 $60.9

$103 COP 322.2K

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$1,060 COP 3.3M

43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 $661

$680 COP 2.1M

-2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 $1,865

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-19.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-35.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,452 $2,452

$1,701 COP 5.3M

44.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 $4,116

$665 COP 2.1M

518.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

10.94

-42.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for El Dorado, AR: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in El Dorado, AR and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 519% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in El Dorado, AR vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $303 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

El Dorado, AR vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Dorado, AR is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 519% higher in El Dorado, AR, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,697 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,697 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in El Dorado, AR but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Dorado, AR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Dorado, AR is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find El Dorado, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.