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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,295 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,130 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,966 in Cartagena, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Cartagena is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.95 COP 15.5K

62.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$135 COP 422.2K

-64.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.19 COP 31.8K

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.61 COP 11.3K

-13.30%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.88 COP 5,879

1.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.82 COP 5,670

-17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.06 COP 6,425

51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.87 COP 15.2K

18.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.97 COP 6,144

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.99 COP 9,317

-16.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.51 COP 4,703

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.21 COP 16.2K

-43.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.62 COP 42.5K

-26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$17.97 COP 56.1K

-43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.07 COP 6,464

-36.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$14.76 COP 46.1K

-5.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.40 COP 4,362

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.29 COP 4,018

-5.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$59.4 COP 185.2K

35.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$4.85 COP 15.1K

-72.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-42.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.83 COP 30.7K

-11.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.38 COP 4,300

-0.72%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$23.9K COP 74.6M

16.36%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.8K COP 108.7M

2.68%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$80.9 COP 252.4K

119.16%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$90.5 COP 282.5K

-50.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.48 COP 26.5K

-21.58%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$651 COP 2.0M

24.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,929 COP 18.5M

54.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,087 COP 3.4M

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$581 COP 1.8M

14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,355 COP 7.3M

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$978 COP 3.1M

5.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$968 COP 3.0M

72.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$480 COP 1.5M

41.07%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,087 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 41% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $135 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $268 in Cartagena – so Cartagena 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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 30% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,942 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $651 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,295, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,295 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. 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.