Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Cali is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$7.70 COP 24.1K

4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$38.08 COP 119.0K

26.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.61 COP 26.9K

13.47%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.62 COP 5,061

79.63%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.26 COP 3,934

53.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.87 COP 2,728

74.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$3.25 COP 10.1K

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.85 COP 12.0K

49.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.57 COP 4,920

-13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.99 COP 6,220

20.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.51 COP 4,719

12.58%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.83 COP 8,834

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$6.43 COP 20.1K

54.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$7.06 COP 22.1K

52.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.39 COP 32.5K

41.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.49 COP 10.9K

17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.41 COP 4,413

11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.76 COP 5,487

21.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.75 COP 5,467

26.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.45 COP 4,539

41.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.57 COP 4,900

-4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.15 COP 3,604

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.04 COP 3,240

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.70 COP 11.6K

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$13.26 COP 41.4K

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.45 COP 4,524

8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.53 COP 7,912

11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.08 COP 3,389

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$29.95 COP 93.6K

159.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.84 COP 2,636

52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.30 COP 4,073

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$35.7K COP 111.5M

-0.49%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$114 COP 354.8K

55.07%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$13.49 COP 42.2K

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$31.05 COP 97.0K

-3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$28.87 COP 90.2K

55.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$8.43 COP 26.3K

-26.45%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$80.3 COP 250.9K

6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$54.4 COP 169.9K

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$124 COP 388.0K

9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$109 COP 340.3K

-5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$641 COP 2.0M

65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$299 COP 935.6K

126.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,577 COP 4.9M

27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$493 COP 1.5M

137.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$591 COP 1.8M

12.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.58

-5.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $244 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 160% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.