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: $745 in Maracaibo versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,249 in Maracaibo versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,753 in Maracaibo versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 VES 7,784

$6.16 COP 20.1K

71.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.33 VES 29.6K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

23.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 VES 6,458

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.75%

Cappuccino

$2.75 VES 2,025

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.88%

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

$1.15 VES 844

$1.05 COP 3,420

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 956

$0.77 COP 2,515

68.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 VES 1,614

$1.69 COP 5,488

30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 VES 2,228

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 VES 1,266

$1.05 COP 3,423

63.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 VES 1,476

$1.30 COP 4,236

54.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 VES 817

$1.40 COP 4,544

-20.71%

Eggs

$3.04 VES 2,236

$2.16 COP 7,047

40.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 VES 4,335

$4.39 COP 14.3K

34.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 VES 3,874

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 VES 4,657

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-26.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 VES 3,166

$2.28 COP 7,426

89.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 1,007

$1.11 COP 3,604

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 VES 1,238

$1.53 COP 4,983

9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,084

$1.35 COP 4,410

9.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.13 COP 3,674

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 VES 1,241

$1.13 COP 3,692

49.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 VES 726

$0.85 COP 2,753

16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 VES 1,202

$0.91 COP 2,975

79.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 VES 2,529

$2.34 COP 7,630

47.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 VES 6,814

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 VES 783

$1.20 COP 3,909

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 VES 1,946

$2.49 COP 8,104

6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 358

$0.84 COP 2,728

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.21 VES 31.0K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 VES 2,866

$1.42 COP 4,623

174.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 VES 1,443

$1.92 COP 6,235

2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 VES 13.0K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

131.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 380

$0.99 COP 3,223

-47.47%

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

$22.8K VES 16.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

26.57%

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

$31.2K VES 22.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

17.22%

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

$16.36 VES 12.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-79.75%

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

$8.61 VES 6,328

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 VES 18.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.13 VES 25.1K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

36.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.62 VES 17.4K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

23.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 VES 3,650

$3.98 COP 13.0K

24.87%

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

$111 VES 81.7K

$305 COP 993.5K

-63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K VES 10.5M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

136.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 VES 30.3K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-29.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 VES 30.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 VES 43.1K

$101 COP 327.9K

-41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 VES 43.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 VES 132.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-62.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 VES 75.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-72.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 VES 240.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

-61.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 156.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-70.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$763 VES 561.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-76.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 VES 365.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-63.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 VES 145.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-67.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

13.43

98.06%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Maracaibo and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 211% 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: $40.00 in Maracaibo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $193 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

Maracaibo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maracaibo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 211% 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: $181 in Maracaibo versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $111 in Maracaibo versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $745 in Maracaibo versus $1,031 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.