Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ca Mau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ca Mau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $729 in Ca Mau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,130 in Ca Mau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,530 in Ca Mau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Ca Mau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ca Mau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ca Mau 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.88 ₫49.2K

214.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.98 ₫550.5K

56.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.32 ₫113.3K

66.67%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.63 ₫42.9K

4.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.47 ₫12.2K

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.28 ₫7,279

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.92 ₫24.0K

81.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.51 ₫39.6K

105.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.39 ₫36.4K

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.98 ₫25.7K

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.95 ₫24.9K

46.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.42 ₫37.3K

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.54 ₫302.9K

-62.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.68 ₫96.7K

58.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.70 ₫254.4K

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.70 ₫70.7K

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.01 ₫26.6K

6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.29 ₫33.8K

18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.13 ₫29.5K

21.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.03 ₫26.9K

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.04 ₫27.3K

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.62 ₫16.3K

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 ₫13.7K

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.38 ₫36.2K

68.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.96 ₫313.7K

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.75 ₫19.7K

58.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.59 ₫41.7K

49.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 ₫8,309

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$6.63 ₫174.0K

520.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.80 ₫21.1K

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.63 ₫16.5K

203.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.81 ₫73.7K

185.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.85 ₫22.4K

10.59%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.8K ₫912.5M

-48.47%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$32.3K ₫848.7M

-17.18%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$76.0 ₫2.0M

10.53%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$5.93 ₫155.7K

61.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$8.53 ₫223.7K

183.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$21.21 ₫556.4K

22.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$7.72 ₫202.5K

146.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.00 ₫78.7K

30.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$264 ₫6.9M

15.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.7K ₫305.8M

-49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$41.23 ₫1.1M

40.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.36 ₫613.0K

36.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$85.5 ₫2.2M

16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$75.8 ₫2.0M

41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$365 ₫9.6M

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$246 ₫6.5M

49.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$686 ₫18.0M

20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$471 ₫12.4M

51.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,967 ₫77.8M

-1.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,309 ₫34.3M

7.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.1

47.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ca Mau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $365 in Ca Mau. 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 $21.00 in Ca Mau. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $190 in Ca Mau – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ca Mau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,093 in Ca Mau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 520% less in Ca Mau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $264 in Ca Mau. 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 Ca Mau, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Ca Mau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ca Mau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ca Mau. 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.