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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,832 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $4,936 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $7,041 in Aruba.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 65% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Aruba is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$13.13 AWG 23.50

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$91.5 AWG 164

-63.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.19 AWG 18.23

-27.09%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.88 AWG 8.73

-66.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.30 AWG 4.11

-52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.07 AWG 3.71

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.35 AWG 7.79

-60.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$6.02 AWG 10.77

-47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.32 AWG 4.16

-52.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.74 AWG 6.69

-66.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.86 AWG 6.90

-64.25%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.54 AWG 9.91

-60.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$31.60 AWG 56.5

-85.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.47 AWG 11.57

-10.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$17.15 AWG 30.70

-47.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$6.15 AWG 11.01

-62.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.85 AWG 5.10

-62.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$6.93 AWG 12.41

-78.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$8.03 AWG 14.36

-83.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$4.11 AWG 7.35

-72.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$3.83 AWG 6.86

-69.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$5.86 AWG 10.48

-84.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$3.69 AWG 6.61

-75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$17.43 AWG 31.20

-87.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.70 AWG 31.68

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$5.01 AWG 8.97

-50.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.43 AWG 2.55

-30.77%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$261 AWG 467

-68.17%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$131 AWG 234

-92.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$67.2 AWG 120

-64.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$61.1 AWG 109

-58.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$13.11 AWG 23.46

-69.87%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$300 AWG 538

5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$18.1K AWG 32.4K

-67.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.19 AWG 88.0

21.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$65.7 AWG 118

-51.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$121 AWG 216

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$738 AWG 1,320

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,400 AWG 2,506

-73.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$3,163 AWG 5,659

-73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$3,952 AWG 7,072

-81.80%

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

$1,909 AWG 3,415

-67.28%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aruba: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $738 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 206% 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 $91.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $526 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 182% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $2,832 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 206% lower in Aruba. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $738 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 172% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $2,832 in Aruba – a 182% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,832 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 182% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.