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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,502 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,996 in Calarasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Calarasi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.04 RON 45.20

-40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$27.75 RON 125

18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.87 RON 35.43

-5.72%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.69 RON 12.11

-38.66%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.54 RON 6.92

-30.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.88 RON 8.49

-59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.25 RON 10.12

-23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.37 RON 15.16

-5.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.34 RON 6.03

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.06 RON 4.75

23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.77 RON 7.95

-24.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.28 RON 14.79

-33.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.96 RON 40.33

-50.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.92 RON 31.17

-17.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$9.00 RON 40.55

-5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.16 RON 5.23

101.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.42 RON 6.39

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.32 RON 5.95

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.96 RON 8.82

-30.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.82 RON 3.67

40.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.90 RON 4.05

31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.71 RON 3.22

18.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.82 RON 3.68

4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$5.80 RON 26.13

-61.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$4.38 RON 19.75

164.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.92 RON 4.15

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.36 RON 6.12

82.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.45 RON 2.01

75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$13.85 RON 62.4

194.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.72 RON 3.23

104.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.61 RON 2.75

214.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$5.79 RON 26.06

34.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.60 RON 7.19

-36.88%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$25.4K RON 114.4K

-30.46%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$27.7K RON 124.6K

-4.39%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$147 RON 663

-44.87%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$8.32 RON 37.47

13.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$7.61 RON 34.27

213.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$69.5 RON 313

-62.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$18.85 RON 84.9

-0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$6.16 RON 27.74

-33.60%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$419 RON 1,889

-25.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$7,063 RON 31.8K

-14.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$83.4 RON 375

-28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$42.55 RON 192

-24.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$74.4 RON 335

35.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$96.6 RON 435

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$382 RON 1,719

27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$230 RON 1,036

58.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$593 RON 2,669

39.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$371 RON 1,670

96.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,231 RON 5,543

143.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$984 RON 4,431

33.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$772 RON 3,476

-28.64%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $382 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 40% 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 $195 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: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,007 in Calarasi – roughly 2% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,510 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 $315 per month in Medellin and $419 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $1,007, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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 $1,007 in Calarasi to $1,028 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.