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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,162 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,901 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,639 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 23% lower, Arima 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.65 TTD 58.8

-31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$72.8 TTD 494

-55.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.30 TTD 49.59

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.31 TTD 15.67

-26.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.94 TTD 6.39

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.75 TTD 5.11

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.65 TTD 11.19

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.98 TTD 20.26

4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.24 TTD 15.24

-52.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.37 TTD 16.11

-47.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.30 TTD 15.63

-39.57%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.22 TTD 28.63

-46.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.21 TTD 42.16

-30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.72 TTD 38.83

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.25 TTD 28.86

107.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.91 TTD 40.10

-62.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.96 TTD 13.33

-44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.42 TTD 29.99

-65.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.49 TTD 30.47

-69.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.00 TTD 6.77

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.78 TTD 5.31

43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.44 TTD 9.80

-40.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.20 TTD 8.17

-24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.19 TTD 28.48

-44.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.55 TTD 133

-43.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.90 TTD 12.90

-37.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.73 TTD 18.52

-13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.80 TTD 5.43

-1.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.95 TTD 6.42

51.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.72 TTD 4.92

165.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.71 TTD 99.9

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.92 TTD 6.28

2.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.0K TTD 183.2K

-33.59%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.3K TTD 185.2K

-1.77%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$79.5 TTD 540

5.64%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$44.40 TTD 301

-78.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$63.0 TTD 427

-61.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$48.51 TTD 329

-46.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.10 TTD 34.63

-23.14%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$131 TTD 889

133.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,130 TTD 48.4K

-17.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.7 TTD 351

12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$26.67 TTD 181

19.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$126 TTD 858

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.8 TTD 508

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$475 TTD 3,222

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$362 TTD 2,457

1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$847 TTD 5,748

-2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$705 TTD 4,788

1.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,190 TTD 8,077

-54.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arima: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $475 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 118% 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 $292 – 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 12% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,744 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,162 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $131 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 $1,034, than in Arima at $1,162. 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 $1,034 versus $1,162 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.