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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,379 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $4,202 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $6,025 in Aruba.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 29% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Aruba 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.56 AWG 26.06

-44.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$89.1 AWG 159

-46.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.52 AWG 18.83

-5.99%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.22 AWG 9.33

-40.04%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.38 AWG 4.25

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.20 AWG 3.93

-31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.24 AWG 9.37

-40.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.20 AWG 12.88

-20.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.65 AWG 2.95

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.86 AWG 5.11

-12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.95 AWG 5.29

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.74 AWG 6.70

-20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.76 AWG 24.63

-26.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.08 AWG 7.30

148.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.03 AWG 3.64

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.46 AWG 4.40

-50.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.38 AWG 4.26

-42.44%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$240 AWG 430

-26.18%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$133 AWG 237

-89.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$84.6 AWG 151

-64.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$298 AWG 534

172.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$17.8K AWG 31.9K

-48.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$64.5 AWG 115

-8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$119 AWG 213

16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$645 AWG 1,155

64.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,388 AWG 2,483

-52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,213 AWG 5,749

-41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$4,069 AWG 7,281

-74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,881 AWG 3,366

-63.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aruba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $645 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 178% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $89.0 in Aruba. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $146, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,379 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 178% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $645 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 109% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,379 in Aruba – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,379 in Aruba, a $2,500 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 42% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.