🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $562 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $1,716 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $950 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $2,527 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,337 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $3,338 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Mariano Roque Alonso costs roughly 67% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mariano Roque Alonso is 59% below, Medellin is 25% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.78₲40.3K
$8.03COP 25.1K
-15.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.13₲203.0K
$48.26COP 150.8K
-29.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.94₲41.3K
$9.77COP 30.5K
-28.97%
Cappuccino
$3.33₲19.8K
$2.91COP 9,095
14.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11₲6,615
$1.94COP 6,074
-42.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58₲3,464
$1.52COP 4,754
-61.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.98₲11.8K
$3.09COP 9,663
-35.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86₲11.1K
$5.74COP 17.9K
-67.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17₲6,928
$1.36COP 4,262
-13.97%
White Bread(500g)
$0.87₲5,181
$2.39COP 7,460
-63.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.26₲7,509
$1.70COP 5,314
-25.88%
Eggs
$2.43₲14.4K
$2.87COP 8,967
-15.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.79₲52.3K
$9.94COP 31.1K
-11.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.04₲30.0K
$10.78COP 33.7K
-53.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.89₲46.9K
$14.73COP 46.0K
-46.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.01₲11.9K
$4.09COP 12.8K
-50.86%
Banana(1kg)
$0.65₲3,858
$1.57COP 4,911
-58.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.84₲4,980
$2.13COP 6,642
-60.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07₲12.3K
$2.21COP 6,917
-6.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.35₲8,042
$2.05COP 6,396
-34.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.26₲7,513
$1.50COP 4,700
-16.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70₲4,137
$1.19COP 3,718
-41.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71₲4,213
$1.16COP 3,619
-38.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33₲13.9K
$3.90COP 12.2K
-40.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.14₲24.6K
$14.44COP 45.1K
-71.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94₲5,591
$1.58COP 4,948
-40.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68₲9,982
$2.83COP 8,836
-40.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.58₲3,476
$1.17COP 3,650
-50.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$77.7COP 242.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44₲8,548
$1.28COP 4,014
12.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.47₲8,769
$2.09COP 6,537
-29.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.00₲59.4K
$8.62COP 26.9K
16.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22₲7,248
$1.30COP 4,056
-6.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.7K₲99.1M
$27.7KCOP 86.4M
-39.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K₲208.2M
$35.5KCOP 110.9M
-1.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$49.31₲293.3K
$176COP 550.1K
-71.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.19₲102.2K
$13.37COP 41.8K
28.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.16₲119.9K
$29.89COP 93.4K
-32.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.93₲183.9K
$44.76COP 139.8K
-30.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06COP 53.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.60₲39.3K
$6.20COP 19.4K
6.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$178₲1.1M
$793COP 2.5M
-77.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,236₲7.3M
$9,019COP 28.2M
-86.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.54₲247.0K
$85.6COP 267.5K
-51.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1₲327.9K
$58.5COP 182.7K
-5.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.9₲510.6K
$136COP 425.9K
-37.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.3₲418.0K
$103COP 322.2K
-31.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,060COP 3.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$680COP 2.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,012COP 6.3M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,169COP 3.7M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,111COP 12.8M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,701COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mariano Roque Alonso
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$849₲5.0M
$665COP 2.1M
27.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9
10.94
-17.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mariano Roque Alonso: August 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Mariano Roque Alonso pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $34.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $303 per month, with Mariano Roque Alonso 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
Mariano Roque Alonso vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mariano Roque Alonso or Medellin?
Mariano Roque Alonso wins on cost – living expenses run 205% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mariano Roque Alonso the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mariano Roque Alonso or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 28% higher in Mariano Roque Alonso, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do childcare costs compare in Mariano Roque Alonso and in Medellin?
Childcare runs $178 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Mariano Roque Alonso and in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Mariano Roque Alonso – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mariano Roque Alonso or in Medellin?
At $562 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mariano Roque Alonso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mariano Roque Alonso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mariano Roque Alonso or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mariano Roque Alonso delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $562 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mariano Roque Alonso hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mariano Roque Alonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 205% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mariano Roque Alonso vs other spots: cost of living compared