Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boca del Rio Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boca del Rio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,109 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,396 in Boca del Rio, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Boca del Rio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Boca del Rio are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Boca del Rio 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.66 MX$187

-42.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$38.82 MX$681

-16.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.74 MX$136

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.27 MX$57.4

-47.40%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.25 MX$21.88

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.92 MX$16.17

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.35 MX$41.27

-28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.93 MX$69.0

-19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.50 MX$26.31

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.60 MX$45.53

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.61 MX$28.21

-13.04%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.37 MX$41.52

-8.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.00 MX$140

-45.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.10 MX$142

-27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.42 MX$183

-17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.69 MX$47.22

-15.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.43 MX$25.10

-22.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.74 MX$30.49

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.57 MX$27.62

-14.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.89 MX$33.18

-40.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.03 MX$35.57

-44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.20 MX$21.03

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.97 MX$17.04

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.26 MX$74.8

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.36 MX$164

32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.54 MX$26.94

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.87 MX$50.4

-13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.65 MX$11.43

29.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.52 MX$44.20

-43.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.60 MX$28.14

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.09 MX$142

-5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.29 MX$22.61

-23.26%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.3K MX$374.5K

-15.55%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.7K MX$397.5K

17.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$55.8 MX$979

44.82%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.10 MX$388

-54.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.46 MX$499

-15.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$35.61 MX$625

-29.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.00 MX$281

19.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.56 MX$80.0

-12.72%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$205 MX$3,597

48.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,547 MX$62.2K

70.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$52.3 MX$917

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.15 MX$704

-19.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.7 MX$1,556

13.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$79.0 MX$1,386

36.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$512 MX$8,979

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$397 MX$6,958

-5.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$917 MX$16.1K

-7.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$757 MX$13.3K

-3.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,038 MX$35.7K

57.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,166 MX$20.5K

17.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Boca del Rio: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $512 in Boca del Rio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Boca del Rio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $248 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Boca del Rio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,109 in Boca del Rio – roughly 8% apart. Boca del Rio costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,663 in Boca del Rio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,109 in Boca del Rio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $205 in Boca del Rio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Boca del Rio at $1,109. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boca del Rio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,109 in Boca del Rio. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boca del Rio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.