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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $797 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,202 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,608 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Buenaventura 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$4.11 COP 14.7K

44.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$23.58 COP 84.4K

40.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.07 COP 25.3K

2.55%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.55 COP 5,545

10.32%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.92 COP 3,307

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.56 COP 2,014

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.16 COP 4,139

50.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.14 COP 7,656

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.06 COP 3,781

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.23 COP 4,400

5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.15 COP 4,105

20.00%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.15 COP 7,680

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$4.38 COP 15.7K

3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$5.26 COP 18.8K

10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.18 COP 25.7K

24.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.42 COP 8,653

-5.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.07 COP 3,831

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.36 COP 4,850

11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.93 COP 3,338

46.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.17 COP 4,178

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.17 COP 4,185

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.87 COP 3,106

-4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.69 COP 2,455

23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.31 COP 8,250

1.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$9.11 COP 32.6K

21.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.09 COP 3,906

5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.76 COP 6,307

40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.68 COP 2,446

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$29.84 COP 106.8K

40.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.48 COP 5,308

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.73 COP 6,184

9.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.91 COP 21.1K

30.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.02 COP 3,643

0.98%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$17.6K COP 63.1M

0.36%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$25.7K COP 91.8M

5.27%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$82.1 COP 293.8K

-0.82%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$8.94 COP 32.0K

5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$22.34 COP 79.9K

6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$23.31 COP 83.4K

10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$4.06 COP 14.5K

-0.25%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$237 COP 847.8K

31.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$5,929 COP 21.2M

2.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$58.7 COP 210.2K

0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$33.13 COP 118.6K

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$83.2 COP 297.8K

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$71.6 COP 256.1K

48.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$287 COP 1.0M

70.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$237 COP 847.6K

56.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$531 COP 1.9M

57.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$432 COP 1.5M

65.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,652 COP 5.9M

78.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,366 COP 4.9M

2.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$550 COP 2.0M

-3.33%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $287 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 3% 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 in Medellin versus $24 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $170 – 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: $1,030 in Medellin, $797 in Buenaventura – roughly 29% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,195 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 12% 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 $797, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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 $797 in Buenaventura to $1,030 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.