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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $371 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $612 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $852 in Calarasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 355% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Calarasi is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$11.83 MDL 201

-33.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$22.90 MDL 389

94.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.11 MDL 121

30.66%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.44 MDL 24.40

101.39%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.78 MDL 13.25

132.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.45 MDL 7.72

244.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.18 MDL 20.03

175.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.50 MDL 25.42

292.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.04 MDL 17.65

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.34 MDL 5.71

620.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.05 MDL 34.80

35.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.01 MDL 34.17

-31.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.70 MDL 11.87

198.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.57 MDL 9.68

119.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.18 MDL 20.06

36.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.64 MDL 27.91

-17.68%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$21.4K MDL 363.6K

66.67%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$62.1 MDL 1,054

143.93%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$6.93 MDL 118

89.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$10.65 MDL 181

203.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$3.44 MDL 58.5

86.92%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$35.28 MDL 599

153.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$35.08 MDL 596

57.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$109 MDL 1,847

25.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$35.47 MDL 602

208.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $43.00 – 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 355%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $557 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 591% 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $371, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.