Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cartagena

🙂 Solo nomad: Medellin is 6.6% cheaper than Cartagena without rent, and 5.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Medellin is 18.2% cheaper than Cartagena without rent, and 0.7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.03 COP 22.7K

$5.89 COP 22.1K

2.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 124.7K

$46.55 COP 175.0K

-28.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 27.4K

$9.47 COP 35.6K

-23.02%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 6,128

$1.64 COP 6,164

-0.61%

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

$1.05 COP 3,944

$0.86 COP 3,230

22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,896

$0.66 COP 2,480

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 COP 6,505

$1.24 COP 4,679

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 12.0K

$2.95 COP 11.1K

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 4,012

$1.14 COP 4,278

-6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,931

$1.93 COP 7,244

-32.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 5,191

$1.33 COP 4,996

3.76%

Eggs

$2.25 COP 8,450

$2.13 COP 8,002

5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 COP 16.9K

$6.78 COP 25.5K

-33.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 COP 21.6K

$6.11 COP 23.0K

-6.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 COP 33.3K

$8.05 COP 30.3K

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,431

$3.30 COP 12.4K

-32.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,985

$1.91 COP 7,192

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,693

$1.44 COP 5,431

4.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 5,115

$1.65 COP 6,214

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,215

$1.53 COP 5,749

-26.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,397

$1.12 COP 4,205

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 3,392

$1.01 COP 3,806

-10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,147

$0.60 COP 2,255

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 8,494

$2.35 COP 8,835

-3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.97 COP 37.5K

$17.67 COP 66.5K

-43.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 4,448

$0.93 COP 3,512

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 COP 8,986

$0.98 COP 3,672

143.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,230

$1.06 COP 3,991

-18.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.45 COP 155.9K

$28.38 COP 106.7K

46.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,517

$2.36 COP 8,891

-37.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 7,317

$2.47 COP 9,287

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 COP 29.2K

$4.70 COP 17.7K

65.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,637

$1.03 COP 3,891

-5.83%

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

$17.9K COP 67.5M

$21.6K COP 81.1M

-16.83%

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

$26.7K COP 100.5M

$23.8K COP 89.3M

12.46%

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

$81.1 COP 305.0K

$140 COP 527.6K

-42.20%

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

$9.40 COP 35.4K

$10.86 COP 40.8K

-13.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.61 COP 88.8K

$25.12 COP 94.5K

-6.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.55 COP 96.0K

$34.78 COP 130.8K

-26.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.29 COP 72.5K

$8.55 COP 32.2K

125.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 15.4K

$2.94 COP 11.1K

39.46%

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

$306 COP 1.2M

$140 COP 526.3K

118.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,899 COP 22.2M

$5,849 COP 22.0M

0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 224.9K

$48.55 COP 182.5K

23.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 COP 120.2K

$38.87 COP 146.2K

-17.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 386.2K

$126 COP 475.1K

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 405.6K

$113 COP 424.0K

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 COP 1.8M

$735 COP 2.8M

-34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 COP 1.4M

$330 COP 1.2M

14.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 COP 3.1M

$1,266 COP 4.8M

-35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 COP 2.7M

$476 COP 1.8M

51.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 COP 10.5M

$2,950 COP 11.1M

-5.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,320 COP 5.0M

$1,914 COP 7.2M

-31.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$538 COP 2.0M

$393 COP 1.5M

36.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: March 3, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: February 28, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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