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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Calarasi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.69 MDL 150

-31.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$36.05 MDL 623

-7.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.53 MDL 130

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.89 MDL 32.65

-13.76%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.90 MDL 15.59

21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.65 MDL 11.15

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.77 MDL 30.56

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.40 MDL 41.52

34.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.24 MDL 21.44

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 MDL 9.62

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.51 MDL 26.01

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.48 MDL 42.89

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.48 MDL 181

-58.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.54 MDL 95.7

6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.82 MDL 152

-2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.91 MDL 15.69

147.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.83 MDL 31.63

-41.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.70 MDL 29.35

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.15 MDL 37.19

-33.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.81 MDL 14.07

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.58 MDL 10.06

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.30 MDL 22.44

-31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.87 MDL 15.09

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.31 MDL 57.1

-32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.28 MDL 22.04

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.01 MDL 34.65

18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.99 MDL 34.43

-29.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.27 MDL 4.67

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.11 MDL 88.3

51.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.36 MDL 23.56

-25.74%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

-45.61%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

-15.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$169 MDL 2,919

-50.50%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.73 MDL 134

22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.87 MDL 188

121.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.52 MDL 130

-45.48%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$392 MDL 6,771

-20.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

-21.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$66.5 MDL 1,149

-12.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$54.6 MDL 942

-40.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$111 MDL 1,910

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$124 MDL 2,149

-12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $182 in Calarasi – so Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,031 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $687 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $392 in Calarasi. 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 Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.