Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arue Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,062 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,574 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,087 in Arue.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Arue 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.39 CFPF 145

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.83 CFPF 503

-73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.95 CFPF 411

-64.56%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$11.60 CFPF 1,209

-81.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$57.4 CFPF 5,980

-92.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$27.36 CFPF 2,849

-78.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$24.70 CFPF 2,572

-65.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.57 CFPF 581

-59.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.85 CFPF 296

-61.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$7.86 CFPF 819

-80.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$8.92 CFPF 929

-84.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$4.38 CFPF 457

-74.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.87 CFPF 298

-60.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$3.81 CFPF 396

-77.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.41 CFPF 147

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$12.06 CFPF 1,256

-80.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$28.67 CFPF 2,986

-56.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.98 CFPF 311

-59.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$7.75 CFPF 807

-67.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$164 CFPF 17.1K

-50.77%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$125 CFPF 13.0K

-80.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arue: July 11, 2026

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Arue. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,593 in Arue 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 298% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,062 in Arue – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,062 in Arue, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arue. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.