Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabudare

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabudare: $612 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Cabudare
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$612
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Cabudare

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Cabudare actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $612 in Cabudare.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Cabudare $612

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $1,160 in Cabudare.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Cabudare $1,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $1,709 in Cabudare.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Cabudare $1,709

Living in Medellin is roughly 160% more expensive than in Cabudare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Cabudare is 54% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
$5.89 VES 5,149
35.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.4K
$35.27 VES 30.8K
31.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
$10.16 VES 8,871
-7.19%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,280
$1.64 VES 1,436
77.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,586
$1.41 VES 1,234
24.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,220
$1.13 VES 984
16.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,972
$1.96 VES 1,711
59.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
$3.09 VES 2,695
79.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,496
$2.15 VES 1,877
-34.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,779
$1.29 VES 1,130
89.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,192
$1.33 VES 1,165
22.56%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,993
$2.12 VES 1,848
33.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
$6.13 VES 5,353
58.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
$7.19 VES 6,280
29.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
$7.03 VES 6,142
91.47%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$4.45 VES 3,891
-10.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,720
$1.45 VES 1,270
2.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,770
$0.73 VES 640
190.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,180
$0.98 VES 856
129.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,093
$0.98 VES 856
94.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,162
$1.48 VES 1,294
9.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,659
$0.69 VES 600
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,022
$1.78 VES 1,553
-29.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$2.47 VES 2,161
54.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
$9.80 VES 8,564
33.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,084
$1.38 VES 1,206
15.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,190
$2.24 VES 1,956
0.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,732
$0.47 VES 406
148.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.1K
$40.04 VES 35.0K
87.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,057
$3.17 VES 2,773
-59.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,533
$1.95 VES 1,703
5.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
$4.04 VES 3,526
102.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,047
$0.65 VES 569
95.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
$31.4K VES 27.4M
-14.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.7M
$41.1K VES 35.9M
-16.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 517.0K
$20.06 VES 17.5K
708.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
$8.55 VES 7,472
53.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
$35.92 VES 31.4K
-21.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.3K
$34.62 VES 30.2K
28.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
$5.02 VES 4,384
21.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$81.4 VES 71.1K
839.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
$2,954 VES 2.6M
201.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
$42.81 VES 37.4K
98.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
$47.11 VES 41.2K
22.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 420.0K
$93.8 VES 81.9K
40.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.2K
$47.60 VES 41.6K
101.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
$450 VES 393.2K
300.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$293 VES 255.7K
239.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Cabudare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cabudare: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Cabudare
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Cabudare
$223 22.5% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Cabudare
$65 68.3% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Cabudare
$104 37.5% $62
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Cabudare
$123 25.8% $43
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Cabudare
$55 39.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Cabudare
$45 21% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Cabudare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $223 per month, with Cabudare cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇻🇪 Cabudare
🕒 Local time
17:11 5:11 PM
18:11 6:11 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
166,087
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,572 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 873 VES (1,000 VES = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 979 VES (1,000 VES = 1.02 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Cabudare 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Cabudare

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cabudare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Cabudare?
Cabudare wins on cost – living expenses run 160% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cabudare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Cabudare?
You'd need roughly $2,384 in Medellin and $917 in Cabudare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Cabudare?
A monthly transit pass in Cabudare runs roughly 87% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and in Cabudare?
Childcare runs $764 in Medellin versus $81.4 in Cabudare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Cabudare?
At $612 in Cabudare versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cabudare but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cabudare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Cabudare?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cabudare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $612 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cabudare hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cabudare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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