Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maracay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $653 per month in Maracay vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Maracay vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,643 per month in Maracay vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Maracay is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 VES 6,554

$5.99 COP 21.4K

96.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 VES 31.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

70.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 VES 4,018

$7.09 COP 25.3K

1.69%

Cappuccino

$1.35 VES 754

$1.71 COP 6,115

-21.05%

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

$1.22 VES 682

$1.10 COP 3,924

10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 VES 539

$0.78 COP 2,781

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$1.68 COP 5,997

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,084

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 VES 1,000

$1.09 COP 3,906

65.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 VES 1,485

$1.26 COP 4,508

111.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 573

$1.38 COP 4,922

-25.36%

Eggs

$2.19 VES 1,222

$2.19 COP 7,827

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 VES 3,717

$4.40 COP 15.7K

51.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 VES 3,140

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 VES 4,086

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-17.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 VES 2,241

$2.34 COP 8,349

71.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,045

$1.06 COP 3,777

76.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,262

$1.50 COP 5,374

50.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,149

$1.38 COP 4,924

49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 VES 1,457

$1.15 COP 4,111

127.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,144

$1.16 COP 4,155

76.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 VES 755

$0.89 COP 3,182

52.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 VES 1,043

$0.84 COP 2,997

122.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 VES 1,361

$2.28 COP 8,145

7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 VES 5,648

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 VES 625

$1.20 COP 4,284

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 VES 993

$2.47 COP 8,824

-27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 160

$0.86 COP 3,056

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 VES 1,642

$1.47 COP 5,264

100.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 VES 1,528

$1.96 COP 7,009

39.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 VES 5,517

$7.74 COP 27.6K

27.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 273

$0.95 COP 3,409

-48.42%

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

$24.6K VES 13.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

35.54%

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

$40.2K VES 22.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

51.69%

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

$10.09 VES 5,621

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-87.73%

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

$12.84 VES 7,156

$9.50 COP 33.9K

35.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.35 VES 21.9K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

62.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 VES 29.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

102.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 VES 1,988

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-9.16%

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

$130 VES 72.4K

$309 COP 1.1M

-58.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,571 VES 3.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-6.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.75 VES 13.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-57.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 VES 16.7K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 VES 44.1K

$103 COP 366.4K

-22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 VES 55.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

-7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$455 VES 253.8K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-83.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$199 VES 110.7K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-83.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 99.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-65.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

13.43

58.82%

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

Last update for Maracay: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 186% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Maracay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $188 – 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

Maracay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 55% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $980 per month in Maracay and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $653 in Maracay and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Maracay and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $653 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. 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.