Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cartagena

For one person, living is cheaper in Cartagena: $1,520 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Cartagena

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,520

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Cartagena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Cartagena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,520 in Cartagena, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Cartagena $1,520

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $2,565 in Cartagena, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Cartagena $2,565

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $3,610 in Cartagena, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Cartagena $3,610

Medellin costs about 11% more than Cartagena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Cartagena sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Cartagena by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$5.63 COP 18.2K

48.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.2K

$142 COP 457.5K

-67.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-7.07%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$4.44 COP 14.3K

-29.50%

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

$1.77 COP 5,702

$2.44 COP 7,876

-27.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,599

$2.23 COP 7,198

-36.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$3.18 COP 10.3K

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$5.06 COP 16.3K

12.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,948

$1.90 COP 6,121

-19.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,397

$2.78 COP 8,970

-17.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,279

$1.43 COP 4,615

35.66%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,900

$4.96 COP 16.0K

-38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$13.42 COP 43.3K

-25.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$17.30 COP 55.9K

-39.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,934

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,794

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,405

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,810

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,518

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,778

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,101

$2.06 COP 6,639

-23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

$14.10 COP 45.5K

-0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,688

$1.39 COP 4,503

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,756

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,809

$1.25 COP 4,027

-5.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.3K

$67.0 COP 216.1K

13.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,833

$4.65 COP 15.0K

-61.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,874

$3.69 COP 11.9K

-42.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

$9.53 COP 30.8K

-14.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,117

$1.34 COP 4,341

-4.48%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

$33.9K COP 109.5M

1.53%

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

$34.1K COP 110.2M

$35.0K COP 113.1M

-2.55%

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

$178 COP 573.8K

$79.0 COP 254.9K

125.06%

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.4K

$54.8 COP 177.0K

-23.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

$8.10 COP 26.1K

-7.78%

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$630 COP 2.0M

25.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

$12.0K COP 38.6M

2.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$1,347 COP 4.3M

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$842 COP 2.7M

-20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$2,468 COP 8.0M

-19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$1,580 COP 5.1M

-34.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$921 COP 3.0M

110.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$464 COP 1.5M

39.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-27.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Cartagena

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Cartagena

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Cartagena

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Cartagena

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Cartagena

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Cartagena

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Cartagena

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,347 in Cartagena. 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 39% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $142 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Medellin vs $259 in Cartagena – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇴 Cartagena

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

Same time as Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,028,736

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 11% more than Cartagena, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $2,279 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,341 in Medellin and $1,347 in Cartagena. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $630 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,692 in Medellin and $1,520 in Cartagena. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,520 versus $1,692 in Medellin. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.