Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buenaventura Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buenaventura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $806 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,234 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,661 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Buenaventura 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$4.04 COP 13.0K

46.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$23.92 COP 77.0K

38.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$1.50 COP 4,828

14.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.93 COP 2,994

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.56 COP 1,811

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$1.21 COP 3,908

42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.14 COP 6,872

48.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.06 COP 3,397

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$1.25 COP 4,019

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$1.13 COP 3,635

17.70%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$2.15 COP 6,933

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$4.36 COP 14.0K

1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$5.16 COP 16.6K

14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.16 COP 23.1K

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$2.48 COP 7,971

-5.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.12 COP 3,588

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.31 COP 4,201

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$0.87 COP 2,799

58.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.13 COP 3,629

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.17 COP 3,773

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.81 COP 2,598

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.65 COP 2,105

29.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$2.33 COP 7,508

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$10.87 COP 35.0K

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.13 COP 3,629

1.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.79 COP 5,770

35.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.72 COP 2,305

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$29.68 COP 95.5K

37.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$1.44 COP 4,621

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$1.64 COP 5,285

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.18 COP 19.9K

26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$0.95 COP 3,070

-1.05%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$17.7K COP 56.9M

0.76%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$25.4K COP 81.7M

6.64%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$83.3 COP 268.1K

-0.08%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$8.87 COP 28.5K

8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$22.32 COP 71.8K

8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$23.66 COP 76.1K

6.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$4.02 COP 12.9K

1.24%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$235 COP 756.2K

30.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$5,945 COP 19.1M

0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$60.1 COP 193.2K

-0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$32.17 COP 103.5K

1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$83.8 COP 269.6K

20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$74.1 COP 238.4K

45.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$282 COP 907.8K

68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$237 COP 761.3K

60.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$536 COP 1.7M

52.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$433 COP 1.4M

63.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,731 COP 5.6M

84.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,400 COP 4.5M

3.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$623 COP 2.0M

-0.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.18

1.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $282 in Buenaventura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 0% higher in Buenaventura, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $173 – making Buenaventura 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,018 in Medellin, $806 in Buenaventura – roughly 26% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,210 in Buenaventura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $806 in Buenaventura to $1,018 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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