Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boquete Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boquete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,475 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,231 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,987 in Boquete.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than in Boquete, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Boquete 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.54 PAB 6.54

22.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$39.94 PAB 39.94

19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.49 PAB 7.49

32.04%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.86 PAB 3.86

-18.91%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.42 PAB 1.42

34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.21 PAB 1.21

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.19 PAB 2.19

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.08 PAB 5.08

13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.05 PAB 2.05

21.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.17 PAB 2.17

-18.43%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.51 PAB 2.51

17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.52 PAB 9.52

5.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.48 PAB 7.48

35.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.49 PAB 15.49

-7.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.47 PAB 4.47

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.01 PAB 1.01

59.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.52 PAB 4.52

-50.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.21 PAB 2.21

1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.24 PAB 2.24

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.18 PAB 2.18

-29.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.32 PAB 2.32

-49.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.71 PAB 1.71

-23.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.14 PAB 5.14

-24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.92 PAB 7.92

76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.21 PAB 1.21

43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.71 PAB 2.71

5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.41 PAB 1.41

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$25.18 PAB 25.18

219.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.98 PAB 0.98

33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.01 PAB 2.01

8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$30.56 PAB 30.56

-71.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.07 PAB 1.07

28.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$25.2K PAB 25.2K

10.32%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$22.2K PAB 22.2K

61.47%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$57.4 PAB 57.4

209.05%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$26.40 PAB 26.40

-47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$42.51 PAB 42.51

-30.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$80.7 PAB 80.7

-44.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.24 PAB 17.24

-0.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.33 PAB 6.33

5.06%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,020 PAB 6,020

52.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$25.41 PAB 25.41

252.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$25.16 PAB 25.16

134.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$45.09 PAB 45.09

206.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$810 PAB 810

31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$695 PAB 695

-4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,552 PAB 1,552

21.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,315 PAB 1,315

-21.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,167 PAB 1,167

258.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,142 PAB 1,142

46.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$809 PAB 809

-16.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.5

68.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Boquete: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $810 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 in Boquete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $296 per month, with Boquete cheaper across the board.

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 Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boquete is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Boquete. 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 $810 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,475 in Boquete – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,475 in Boquete versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Boquete but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Boquete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Boquete is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Boquete 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 Boquete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.