Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arouca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arouca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $947 in Arouca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,653 in Arouca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,359 in Arouca.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than Arouca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Arouca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.22 TTD 68.5

-41.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$89.7 TTD 601

-63.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.19 TTD 48.19

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.67 TTD 24.57

-53.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.06 TTD 7.09

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.78 TTD 5.20

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.83 TTD 12.24

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.03 TTD 20.29

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.67 TTD 17.86

-59.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.72 TTD 18.21

-53.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.57 TTD 17.22

-46.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.04 TTD 33.78

-56.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.79 TTD 52.2

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$10.32 TTD 69.1

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$14.13 TTD 94.7

-37.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.85 TTD 39.23

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.63 TTD 17.61

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.20 TTD 28.14

-64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.68 TTD 31.33

-70.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.42 TTD 9.55

-19.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.66 TTD 11.13

-30.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.91 TTD 12.78

-53.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.45 TTD 9.71

-42.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.77 TTD 38.62

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$18.63 TTD 125

-42.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.12 TTD 14.18

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.73 TTD 18.26

-9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.04 TTD 6.97

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.23 TTD 8.24

59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$14.53 TTD 97.3

-46.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.14 TTD 7.63

-16.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.1K TTD 228.8K

-46.90%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$39.0K TTD 261.0K

-32.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$81.2 TTD 544

1.36%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$45.98 TTD 308

-79.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$62.6 TTD 420

-61.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.28 TTD 68.8

-61.77%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$329 TTD 2,207

-6.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,066 TTD 47.3K

-15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.5 TTD 399

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.43 TTD 257

-15.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$145 TTD 969

-29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$130 TTD 871

-16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arouca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $90.0 in Arouca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $373 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 Arouca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Arouca differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $947 including rent). Arouca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,420 in Arouca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $329 in Arouca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Arouca – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $947 in Arouca versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arouca but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arouca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Arouca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.