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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,154 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,909 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,664 in Arima, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Arima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Arima 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.78 TTD 59.0

-32.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$74.7 TTD 502

-55.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.61 TTD 51.1

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.36 TTD 15.84

-30.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.01 TTD 6.78

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.70 TTD 4.72

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.60 TTD 10.72

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.98 TTD 20.01

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.24 TTD 15.02

-50.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.35 TTD 15.79

-46.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.29 TTD 15.38

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.28 TTD 28.71

-49.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.14 TTD 41.23

-26.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.79 TTD 38.87

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.24 TTD 28.49

111.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.72 TTD 38.40

-59.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.03 TTD 13.64

-47.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.32 TTD 29.03

-64.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.38 TTD 29.44

-68.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.00 TTD 6.70

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.82 TTD 5.53

42.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.44 TTD 9.69

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.20 TTD 8.04

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.16 TTD 27.91

-46.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.94 TTD 127

-36.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.95 TTD 13.12

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.74 TTD 18.41

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.82 TTD 5.52

3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.00 TTD 6.73

42.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.72 TTD 4.83

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$14.52 TTD 97.5

-45.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.01 TTD 6.80

-1.98%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.8K TTD 180.0K

-34.35%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.2K TTD 182.9K

-1.60%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$81.5 TTD 547

1.85%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$45.14 TTD 303

-78.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$63.0 TTD 423

-62.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$48.29 TTD 324

-47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.10 TTD 34.23

-22.55%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$134 TTD 901

135.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,162 TTD 48.1K

-16.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$52.4 TTD 352

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.95 TTD 181

18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$125 TTD 839

-18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$73.6 TTD 494

45.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$482 TTD 3,237

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$356 TTD 2,392

4.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$839 TTD 5,637

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$715 TTD 4,799

0.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,190 TTD 7,993

-47.54%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 91% 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 $75.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $290 – 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 15% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,731 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,154 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $134 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 $1,003, than in Arima at $1,154. 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 $1,003 versus $1,154 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.