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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,063 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,551 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,039 in Arue.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Arue 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.40 CFPF 143

-22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$4.96 CFPF 508

-74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.82 CFPF 392

-63.87%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$11.58 CFPF 1,187

-81.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$57.7 CFPF 5,916

-92.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$27.32 CFPF 2,800

-79.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$24.66 CFPF 2,528

-63.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$5.27 CFPF 541

-55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.97 CFPF 305

-64.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$7.99 CFPF 819

-81.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$8.66 CFPF 888

-84.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$4.34 CFPF 445

-73.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.89 CFPF 296

-59.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$3.80 CFPF 390

-76.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.48 CFPF 151

-43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$12.07 CFPF 1,237

-81.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$29.51 CFPF 3,025

-63.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.95 CFPF 302

-59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$7.99 CFPF 819

-69.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$167 CFPF 17.1K

-50.80%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$124 CFPF 12.7K

-80.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arue: May 31, 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 5% 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 $1,519 in Medellin and $1,594 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 308% higher in Arue. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,063 in Arue – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,063 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 $1,013 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 5% less than in Arue. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.