Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracaibo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Maracaibo versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Maracaibo versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,823 in Maracaibo versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 52% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maracaibo is 43% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 VES 8,665

$8.04 COP 24.8K

29.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 VES 33.8K

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-15.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 VES 7,510

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-4.03%

Cappuccino

$2.67 VES 2,219

$2.94 COP 9,045

-9.18%

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

$1.14 VES 944

$1.86 COP 5,738

-38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 VES 1,106

$1.46 COP 4,481

-8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 VES 1,858

$3.21 COP 9,887

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 VES 2,428

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-48.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 VES 1,476

$1.44 COP 4,431

23.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 VES 1,750

$2.40 COP 7,393

-12.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 856

$1.70 COP 5,230

-39.41%

Eggs

$3.73 VES 3,101

$2.89 COP 8,901

29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 VES 5,560

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-33.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 VES 5,370

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-35.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 VES 6,199

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 VES 3,916

$3.98 COP 12.3K

18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 1,135

$1.58 COP 4,880

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 VES 1,290

$2.15 COP 6,627

-27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 VES 1,174

$2.30 COP 7,082

-38.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 VES 1,021

$2.00 COP 6,172

-38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 VES 1,449

$1.51 COP 4,648

15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 VES 810

$1.20 COP 3,703

-18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 VES 1,684

$1.28 COP 3,948

58.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 VES 2,464

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-22.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 7,447

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 VES 903

$1.71 COP 5,259

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 VES 2,171

$2.74 COP 8,444

-4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 VES 360

$1.25 COP 3,836

-65.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 VES 34.7K

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-46.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 3,416

$1.31 COP 4,018

213.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 VES 1,692

$2.17 COP 6,684

-5.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.34 VES 14.4K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

109.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 VES 546

$1.36 COP 4,174

-51.47%

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

$14.9K VES 12.4M

$27.5K COP 84.6M

-45.78%

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

$28.5K VES 23.7M

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-22.04%

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

$63.0 VES 52.3K

$169 COP 519.5K

-62.66%

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

$7.31 VES 6,072

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-46.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.06 VES 20.8K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-11.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.94 VES 28.2K

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-25.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.21 VES 23.4K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

63.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 VES 4,211

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-23.76%

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

$153 VES 127.0K

$803 COP 2.5M

-80.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,201 VES 6.0M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-21.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.67 VES 23.0K

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-68.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 VES 26.7K

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-45.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 VES 50.9K

$139 COP 427.7K

-55.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 VES 47.8K

$102 COP 314.2K

-43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 VES 134.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-84.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 VES 77.3K

$653 COP 2.0M

-85.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 VES 247.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-84.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 VES 163.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-81.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$743 VES 616.6K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-81.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$506 VES 420.6K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-70.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 VES 166.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

-69.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.82%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Maracaibo and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 227% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Maracaibo vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $300 per month, with Maracaibo 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

Maracaibo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 227% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $162 in Maracaibo versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Maracaibo versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $783 in Maracaibo versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maracaibo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maracaibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maracaibo 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 Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.