Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arecibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arecibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,287 in Arecibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $2,036 in Arecibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,785 in Arecibo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than in Arecibo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Arecibo is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$12.05 $12.05

-33.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$85.4 $85.4

-43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$8.31 $8.31

17.57%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$3.40 $3.40

-14.41%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$1.87 $1.87

3.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$1.45 $1.45

4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$3.06 $3.06

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$5.01 $5.01

14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.87 $1.87

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$3.36 $3.36

-28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$2.00 $2.00

-15.00%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$4.57 $4.57

-37.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$12.57 $12.57

-20.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$9.40 $9.40

14.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$13.13 $13.13

12.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$5.18 $5.18

-21.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$2.59 $2.59

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$4.91 $4.91

-56.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$4.84 $4.84

-54.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$3.70 $3.70

-44.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$3.89 $3.89

-61.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$3.43 $3.43

-65.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$1.57 $1.57

-26.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$12.06 $12.06

-67.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$15.71 $15.71

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$3.06 $3.06

-48.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$3.92 $3.92

-27.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

$39.73 $39.73

95.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$2.44 $2.44

-47.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

$1.53 $1.53

36.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$42.75 $42.75

-79.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$0.89 $0.89

46.07%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$40.6K $40.6K

-31.87%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$27.7K $27.7K

28.20%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$324 $324

-45.62%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$69.2 $69.2

-80.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$64.2 $64.2

-53.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.35 $10.35

-40.10%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$820 $820

-3.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$12.3K $12.3K

-26.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$56.5 $56.5

51.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$62.0 $62.0

-5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$110 $110

23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$112 $112

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,192 $1,192

-44.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.55

67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arecibo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Arecibo pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $85.0 in Arecibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $394 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

Medellin vs Arecibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Arecibo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arecibo 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Arecibo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.