Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla de Margarita and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla de Margarita and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $659 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Isla de Margarita vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Isla de Margarita is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Isla de Margarita and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Isla de Margarita 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.90 VES 5,798

$5.95 COP 20.8K

66.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 VES 47.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

144.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$2.46 VES 1,442

$1.63 COP 5,687

50.92%

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

$1.03 VES 602

$1.09 COP 3,821

-5.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 VES 870

$0.73 COP 2,548

104.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 VES 600

$1.74 COP 6,065

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 VES 1,747

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-7.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 VES 1,156

$1.05 COP 3,662

87.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 VES 1,739

$1.29 COP 4,515

130.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,203

$1.32 COP 4,617

55.30%

Eggs

$2.43 VES 1,424

$2.27 COP 7,927

7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 VES 4,807

$4.35 COP 15.2K

88.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 VES 4,680

$5.88 COP 20.5K

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 VES 4,608

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 VES 2,386

$2.25 COP 7,844

80.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 VES 873

$1.07 COP 3,733

39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 VES 1,196

$1.52 COP 5,322

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 VES 1,446

$1.42 COP 4,964

73.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 VES 903

$1.17 COP 4,084

31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 VES 1,083

$1.17 COP 4,077

58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 VES 570

$0.89 COP 3,096

8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 VES 2,853

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-55.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 595

$1.14 COP 3,977

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 904

$2.38 COP 8,301

-35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 VES 1,729

$1.41 COP 4,912

109.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 VES 1,730

$1.90 COP 6,634

55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$29.95 VES 17.5K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-64.21%

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

$14.86 VES 8,704

$9.45 COP 33.0K

57.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 VES 23.4K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

65.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.66 VES 29.1K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

96.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 VES 8,834

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-21.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 VES 3,007

$4.10 COP 14.3K

25.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 VES 46.1K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

35.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 VES 58.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 VES 57.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 VES 175.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 VES 294.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

-39.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$589 VES 345.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-79.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Isla de Margarita: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $299 in Isla de Margarita versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Isla de Margarita versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Isla de Margarita vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $988 per month in Isla de Margarita and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Isla de Margarita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Isla de Margarita and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Isla de Margarita. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.