Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $359 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $805 in Calarasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 343% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Calarasi is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$11.24 MDL 200

-28.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$22.36 MDL 397

108.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$7.01 MDL 124

34.52%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$1.37 MDL 24.33

112.41%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$0.76 MDL 13.48

130.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.46 MDL 8.22

186.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$1.11 MDL 19.67

181.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$1.44 MDL 25.60

285.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$1.03 MDL 18.36

36.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$0.32 MDL 5.75

662.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$1.94 MDL 34.50

45.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$2.01 MDL 35.70

-26.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$0.67 MDL 11.81

185.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$0.56 MDL 9.98

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$1.14 MDL 20.28

11.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$1.61 MDL 28.56

-21.12%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$20.3K MDL 360.2K

69.63%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$60.4 MDL 1,073

168.43%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$6.94 MDL 123

89.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$10.25 MDL 182

174.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$3.31 MDL 58.8

83.99%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$34.48 MDL 612

146.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

$34.02 MDL 604

68.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$109 MDL 1,944

20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$34.27 MDL 609

179.40%

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 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $42.00 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 343%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $538 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 584% 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Calarasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. 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.