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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,006 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,518 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,030 in Calarasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Calarasi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.06 RON 43.84

-41.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.69 RON 121

18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.65 RON 33.34

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.68 RON 11.69

-36.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.48 RON 6.46

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.87 RON 8.15

-61.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.23 RON 9.74

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.38 RON 14.75

-8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.42 RON 6.18

-25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.10 RON 4.79

13.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.76 RON 7.68

-21.02%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.29 RON 14.34

-31.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.95 RON 39.01

-51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.10 RON 30.95

-17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.08 RON 39.60

-2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.16 RON 5.08

93.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.48 RON 6.46

-27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.33 RON 5.82

15.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.88 RON 8.22

-27.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.75 RON 3.27

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.88 RON 3.86

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.71 RON 3.08

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.85 RON 3.70

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.63 RON 24.56

-58.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.49 RON 19.56

147.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.99 RON 4.30

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.36 RON 5.93

74.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.48 RON 2.07

64.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$14.08 RON 61.4

192.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.67 RON 2.91

114.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.62 RON 2.69

208.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.79 RON 25.23

38.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.59 RON 6.92

-40.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.9K RON 108.6K

-28.03%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.8K RON 116.9K

-0.07%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$149 RON 649

-43.62%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.35 RON 36.41

14.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.52 RON 32.77

221.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$69.7 RON 304

-62.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$19.43 RON 84.7

-2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.85 RON 25.50

-32.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$432 RON 1,883

-29.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,852 RON 29.9K

-13.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$84.0 RON 366

-31.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.91 RON 187

-25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$73.6 RON 321

35.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$97.5 RON 425

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$389 RON 1,696

25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$229 RON 1,000

60.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$581 RON 2,533

42.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$370 RON 1,612

93.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,261 RON 5,496

132.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,013 RON 4,418

38.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$779 RON 3,394

-29.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.62

102.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $389 in Calarasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Calarasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $198 in Calarasi – 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,006 in Calarasi – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,509 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $432 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,006 in Calarasi to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.