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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $803 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,225 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,648 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% 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

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

49.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$23.67 COP 84.4K

40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$7.47 COP 26.6K

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$1.50 COP 5,349

8.67%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.86 COP 3,067

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.62 COP 2,201

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.21 COP 4,312

43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$2.24 COP 7,978

44.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.07 COP 3,814

-1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$1.25 COP 4,450

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.14 COP 4,082

15.79%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.16 COP 7,693

5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$4.33 COP 15.4K

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$5.27 COP 18.8K

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$7.55 COP 26.9K

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$2.51 COP 8,934

-10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.11 COP 3,947

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$1.30 COP 4,625

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$0.87 COP 3,091

63.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.13 COP 4,029

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.12 COP 3,999

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.88 COP 3,130

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$0.70 COP 2,497

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$2.30 COP 8,195

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$10.24 COP 36.5K

7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.14 COP 4,055

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.71 COP 6,102

39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$0.73 COP 2,609

15.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$30.19 COP 107.7K

38.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.42 COP 5,081

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.72 COP 6,121

10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$5.97 COP 21.3K

29.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.00 COP 3,583

1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$17.7K COP 63.0M

-0.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$25.6K COP 91.3M

3.47%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$83.1 COP 296.2K

0.75%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$8.91 COP 31.8K

6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$22.83 COP 81.4K

5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$23.22 COP 82.8K

9.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$4.01 COP 14.3K

2.24%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$235 COP 836.4K

33.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$5,923 COP 21.1M

1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$58.6 COP 208.9K

-0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$32.76 COP 116.8K

-0.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$84.2 COP 300.2K

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$73.4 COP 261.8K

47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$282 COP 1.0M

71.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$238 COP 850.3K

59.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$520 COP 1.9M

60.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$425 COP 1.5M

70.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$1,606 COP 5.7M

76.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,236 COP 4.4M

-1.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$553 COP 2.0M

-2.27%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 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 2% 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: $190 vs $174 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $803 in Buenaventura – roughly 27% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,204 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 9% 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 $803, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $803 in Buenaventura to $1,017 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.