Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arima Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,892 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,637 in Arima, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Arima 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.67 TTD 58.6

-31.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$72.6 TTD 491

-54.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.46 TTD 50.5

-3.08%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.44 TTD 16.49

-33.20%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.97 TTD 6.55

12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.77 TTD 5.19

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.66 TTD 11.20

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.92 TTD 19.78

10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.32 TTD 15.70

-54.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.29 TTD 15.47

-43.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.38 TTD 16.09

-44.54%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.27 TTD 28.86

-46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.24 TTD 42.16

-30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.02 TTD 40.67

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.33 TTD 29.28

98.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.91 TTD 39.95

-61.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.96 TTD 13.23

-45.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.18 TTD 28.28

-63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.55 TTD 30.79

-68.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.03 TTD 6.98

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.81 TTD 5.49

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.52 TTD 10.30

-41.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.21 TTD 8.19

-25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.26 TTD 28.79

-47.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$18.46 TTD 125

-40.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.95 TTD 13.18

-41.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.83 TTD 19.14

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.78 TTD 5.26

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.99 TTD 6.71

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.71 TTD 4.78

167.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$14.60 TTD 98.7

-46.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.95 TTD 6.44

6.32%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.9K TTD 181.6K

-34.56%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.0K TTD 182.4K

-1.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$78.5 TTD 531

6.57%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$44.44 TTD 300

-78.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$62.8 TTD 425

-61.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$47.11 TTD 319

-46.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.21 TTD 35.23

-21.31%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$133 TTD 897

135.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,146 TTD 48.3K

-16.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.1 TTD 346

13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$26.10 TTD 176

24.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$127 TTD 857

-21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$72.6 TTD 491

49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$482 TTD 3,259

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$350 TTD 2,366

8.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$854 TTD 5,774

-1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$723 TTD 4,890

-0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,185 TTD 8,011

-54.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arima: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $482 in Arima. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 119% higher in Arima, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $293 – 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

Medellin vs Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arima costs about 13% more than Medellin, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,721 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,147 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $133 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Arima at $1,147. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,147 in Arima. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.