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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $984 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,489 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,995 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 25% lower, Calarasi 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.05 RON 45.69

-41.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.17 RON 128

17.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.61 RON 34.60

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.56 RON 11.63

-35.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.53 RON 6.97

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.82 RON 8.30

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.32 RON 10.53

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.40 RON 15.48

-6.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.41 RON 6.42

-21.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 RON 4.77

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.76 RON 7.99

-21.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.35 RON 15.23

-34.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.64 RON 39.28

-48.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.96 RON 31.62

-16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.93 RON 40.59

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.21 RON 5.49

91.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.48 RON 6.73

-28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.28 RON 5.80

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.98 RON 9.00

-31.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.76 RON 3.45

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.89 RON 4.05

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.76 RON 3.44

18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.85 RON 3.87

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.69 RON 25.86

-60.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.39 RON 19.98

176.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.96 RON 4.35

23.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.41 RON 6.41

75.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.44 RON 2.02

93.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$13.55 RON 61.6

207.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.67 RON 3.04

111.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.60 RON 2.74

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.89 RON 26.77

33.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.59 RON 7.23

-37.74%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.3K RON 115.2K

-30.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.9K RON 122.3K

-0.37%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$146 RON 663

-43.09%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.55 RON 38.89

13.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$7.26 RON 33.02

223.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$68.6 RON 312

-63.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$18.86 RON 85.8

1.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.14 RON 27.90

-35.67%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$425 RON 1,933

-25.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,986 RON 31.8K

-14.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$82.5 RON 375

-27.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$42.94 RON 195

-25.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.4 RON 343

34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$99.0 RON 450

8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$383 RON 1,740

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$228 RON 1,037

63.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$581 RON 2,642

46.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$374 RON 1,702

92.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,244 RON 5,653

162.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$970 RON 4,408

48.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$741 RON 3,367

-15.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $383 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 19% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $196 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $984 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,476 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 $316 per month in Medellin and $425 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $984, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $984 in Calarasi to $1,003 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.