Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benidorm

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,707 in Benidorm, rent and utilities included – about $820 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Benidorm outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Benidorm, Spain
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Benidorm
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,707
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Benidorm

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Benidorm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Benidorm $1,707

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,498 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Benidorm $2,498

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,290 in Benidorm, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Benidorm $3,290

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Benidorm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Benidorm sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Benidorm by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$17.28 €15.49
-53.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$52.9 €47.44
-11.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$12.28 €11.00
-22.64%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$2.32 €2.08
29.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$2.29 €2.05
-21.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.18 €1.06
19.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$3.41 €3.06
-6.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.67 €3.29
56.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$1.14 €1.02
32.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$1.30 €1.16
83.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$1.41 €1.26
25.53%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$3.50 €3.14
-17.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$10.98 €9.84
-7.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$8.10 €7.26
21.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$15.68 €14.05
-10.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.10 €1.88
89.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$1.83 €1.64
-15.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$1.92 €1.72
13.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$2.66 €2.38
-18.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$1.72 €1.54
13.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$1.77 €1.59
-10.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$1.10 €0.99
4.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.44 €0.39
181.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$5.96 €5.34
-33.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$5.73 €5.13
138.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$0.87 €0.78
90.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$0.94 €0.84
140.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$4.50 €4.03
-71.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$1.35 €1.21
51.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$24.26 €21.74
-64.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$1.72 €1.54
-21.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$34.2K €30.6K
-0.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$29.3K €26.3K
18.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$157 €141
7.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$16.38 €14.67
-17.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$22.55 €20.21
24.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$10.78 €9.66
-35.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$575 €515
38.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$9,688 €8,682
-5.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$91.2 €81.7
-7.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$42.40 €37.99
36.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$96.1 €86.2
40.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$119 €106
-17.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$1,002 €898
20.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$838 €751
-23.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,766 €1,582
14.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,324 €1,186
-23.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$5,197 €4,657
-19.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,542 €2,278
-24.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Benidorm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,785 €1,599
-63.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.3
231.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Benidorm: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Benidorm
$838 30.6% $196
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Benidorm
$243 18.2% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Benidorm
$196 7.2% $15
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Benidorm
$241 42.2% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Benidorm
$157 7.3% $12
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Benidorm
$11 * 88% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Benidorm
$22 * 62.5% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,002 in Benidorm. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Benidorm are about 2.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $53 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $243 in Benidorm – so Benidorm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Benidorm
🕒 Local time
23:12 11:12 PM
05:12 5:12 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
72,342
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Benidorm 8,310 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Benidorm

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Benidorm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Benidorm?
Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,561 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benidorm, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,002 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Benidorm?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,707 in Benidorm. That makes Medellin about 4% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $575 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Benidorm?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,707 in Benidorm, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Benidorm?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,707 in Benidorm. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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