Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caranavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caranavi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,094 in Caranavi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,491 in Caranavi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,887 in Caranavi.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Caranavi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Caranavi 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.49 BOB 17.25

137.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.43 BOB 51.4

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.30 BOB 22.81

-48.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 BOB 5.25

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.49 BOB 3.42

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.41 BOB 9.77

18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.30 BOB 22.84

-6.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.47 BOB 10.20

-14.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.84 BOB 19.67

-51.06%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$0.88 BOB 6.12

156.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$1.87 BOB 12.95

212.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.92 BOB 40.95

49.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.29 BOB 22.77

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.76 BOB 12.18

-38.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.42 BOB 9.85

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.15 BOB 7.93

19.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.06 BOB 7.33

6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.76 BOB 5.24

47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.05 BOB 7.26

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.21 BOB 22.25

-27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.21 BOB 15.31

-46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.40 BOB 30.44

-46.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.53 BOB 3.68

49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$14.23 BOB 98.5

189.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.43 BOB 9.92

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.76 BOB 12.16

8.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.71 BOB 102

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$14.6K BOB 101.2K

22.53%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$99.6 BOB 690

-15.74%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$65.4 BOB 452

-63.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$14.36 BOB 99.4

80.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.79 BOB 151

-12.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.50 BOB 45.01

-39.69%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$147 BOB 1,015

108.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,871 BOB 19.9K

106.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.99 BOB 214

2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$50.0 BOB 346

99.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$73.4 BOB 508

45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$879 BOB 6,079

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$571 BOB 3,948

-35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,176 BOB 8,141

-29.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$978 BOB 6,766

-26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$361 BOB 2,498

51.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Caranavi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $879 in Caranavi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Caranavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 51% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $879 in Caranavi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Caranavi pay roughly 43% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,094 in Caranavi – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,094 in Caranavi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Caranavi. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Caranavi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Caranavi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.