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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,854 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $4,992 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $7,129 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 23% below, Aruba is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$12.80 AWG 22.91

-53.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$88.5 AWG 158

-62.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.87 AWG 17.67

-27.05%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.74 AWG 8.49

-64.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.07 AWG 3.70

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.17 AWG 7.47

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.22 AWG 11.13

-50.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.40 AWG 4.30

-55.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.80 AWG 6.80

-67.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.78 AWG 6.77

-63.23%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$5.34 AWG 9.56

-57.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$32.12 AWG 57.5

-86.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.41 AWG 11.48

-8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$17.03 AWG 30.48

-48.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.94 AWG 10.63

-62.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.84 AWG 5.08

-61.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$6.86 AWG 12.28

-77.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$7.85 AWG 14.06

-82.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$4.08 AWG 7.31

-72.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.66 AWG 6.55

-69.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$5.88 AWG 10.52

-85.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$3.78 AWG 6.77

-75.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$17.39 AWG 31.14

-86.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.24 AWG 32.66

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$5.08 AWG 9.09

-53.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.36 AWG 2.44

-30.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$261 AWG 467

-67.79%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$134 AWG 239

-92.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$67.7 AWG 121

-64.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$59.2 AWG 106

-56.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$12.75 AWG 22.82

-69.25%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$304 AWG 544

0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$18.2K AWG 32.5K

-67.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.50 AWG 88.6

16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$65.3 AWG 117

-51.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$121 AWG 217

-17.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$730 AWG 1,307

-33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,394 AWG 2,496

-73.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$3,237 AWG 5,794

-74.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$3,971 AWG 7,108

-81.97%

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

$1,946 AWG 3,482

-71.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aruba: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $730 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 257% 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 $88.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $527 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 176% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $2,854 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aruba earns 257% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $730 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 177% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $2,854 in Aruba – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,854 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 176% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.