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: $734 in Maracaibo versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,244 in Maracaibo versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Maracaibo versus $2,192 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 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,777

$5.99 COP 21.4K

73.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 VES 22.3K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 VES 4,915

$7.09 COP 25.3K

24.40%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 1,476

$1.71 COP 6,115

54.97%

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

$1.20 VES 671

$1.10 COP 3,924

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 724

$0.78 COP 2,781

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 1,290

$1.68 COP 5,997

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 VES 1,643

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 VES 996

$1.09 COP 3,906

64.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 VES 1,080

$1.26 COP 4,508

53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 VES 607

$1.38 COP 4,922

-21.01%

Eggs

$3.19 VES 1,775

$2.19 COP 7,827

45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 VES 3,318

$4.40 COP 15.7K

35.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 VES 3,003

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 VES 3,386

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-31.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 VES 2,513

$2.34 COP 8,349

92.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 VES 769

$1.06 COP 3,777

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 VES 954

$1.50 COP 5,374

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 820

$1.38 COP 4,924

6.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 VES 649

$1.15 COP 4,111

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 VES 905

$1.16 COP 4,155

39.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 VES 564

$0.89 COP 3,182

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 VES 889

$0.84 COP 2,997

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 VES 1,914

$2.28 COP 8,145

50.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 4,997

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VES 591

$1.20 COP 4,284

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 1,473

$2.47 COP 8,824

6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 287

$0.86 COP 3,056

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.3K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

1.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 2,290

$1.47 COP 5,264

179.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,087

$1.96 COP 7,009

-0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,900

$7.74 COP 27.6K

129.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 269

$0.95 COP 3,409

-49.47%

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

$22.2K VES 12.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

22.45%

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

$31.0K VES 17.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

17.07%

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

$16.22 VES 9,038

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-80.28%

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

$9.02 VES 5,028

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.85 VES 14.4K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 VES 19.1K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

23.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 VES 2,807

$3.93 COP 14.0K

28.24%

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

$112 VES 62.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-63.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

133.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 VES 23.3K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 VES 23.5K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

30.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 VES 32.2K

$103 COP 366.4K

-43.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 VES 33.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

-44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-62.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 56.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-73.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 VES 183.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

-60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 116.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-71.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 VES 423.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-72.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 VES 279.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-58.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 VES 109.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

-61.61%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Maracaibo and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 161% 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 $221 vs $188 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. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 161% less. 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: $180 in Maracaibo versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 in Maracaibo versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $734 in Maracaibo versus $1,013 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.