Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aruba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aruba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,848 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,042 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $7,236 in Aruba.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 64% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Aruba is 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$13.10 AWG 23.44

-54.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$89.6 AWG 160

-62.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.07 AWG 18.02

-28.20%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.82 AWG 8.63

-66.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.29 AWG 4.10

-52.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.99 AWG 3.56

-63.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$4.28 AWG 7.66

-59.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.21 AWG 11.12

-47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.36 AWG 4.23

-55.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.91 AWG 7.00

-67.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.92 AWG 7.01

-66.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.42 AWG 9.69

-58.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$32.06 AWG 57.4

-86.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.61 AWG 11.83

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.67 AWG 29.83

-48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.93 AWG 10.61

-62.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.83 AWG 5.07

-62.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$6.96 AWG 12.46

-78.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$7.92 AWG 14.18

-82.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.90 AWG 6.98

-70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$3.80 AWG 6.80

-69.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$6.15 AWG 11.01

-85.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$3.71 AWG 6.63

-75.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$17.60 AWG 31.49

-87.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$18.15 AWG 32.49

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.95 AWG 8.87

-51.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.42 AWG 2.54

-28.87%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$257 AWG 461

-67.48%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$133 AWG 238

-92.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$67.0 AWG 120

-64.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$59.5 AWG 106

-57.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$12.97 AWG 23.22

-68.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$303 AWG 542

3.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$17.6K AWG 31.6K

-66.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.9 AWG 91.1

14.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$66.2 AWG 118

-50.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$121 AWG 216

-17.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$724 AWG 1,295

-33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,382 AWG 2,473

-72.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$3,200 AWG 5,727

-73.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$4,041 AWG 7,233

-82.11%

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

$1,943 AWG 3,477

-72.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

91.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $724 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 259% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $90.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $528 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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Aruba differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $2,848 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aruba earns 259% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $724 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 178% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $2,848 in Aruba – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,848 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Aruba 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.