Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 33% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Cartago is 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.95 ₡3,615

-24.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$31.47 ₡14.3K

4.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.17 ₡4,172

-22.68%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.82 ₡1,738

-55.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.93 ₡880

-43.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.23 ₡558

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.01 ₡913

-16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.75 ₡2,159

-35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.96 ₡894

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.19 ₡996

-42.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.15 ₡976

-35.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.91 ₡1,325

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.84 ₡3,566

-43.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.30 ₡4,228

-39.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.63 ₡6,199

-34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.43 ₡2,014

-47.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.17 ₡534

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.03 ₡1,832

-62.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.64 ₡1,201

-47.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.96 ₡890

-41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.98 ₡899

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.04 ₡471

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.94 ₡884

-56.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.11 ₡2,326

-55.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$15.30 ₡6,960

-30.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.45 ₡1,112

-51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.80 ₡820

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.01 ₡461

-14.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$69.0 ₡31.4K

-40.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.37 ₡622

7.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.86 ₡848

5.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.91 ₡3,599

-2.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.41 ₡643

-32.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$37.4K ₡17.0M

-51.55%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-18.09%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$49.02 ₡22.3K

67.79%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-62.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-58.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$57.3 ₡26.0K

-54.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$24.06 ₡10.9K

-21.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.47 ₡2,944

-39.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$491 ₡223.1K

-36.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,189 ₡3.3M

-17.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$61.5 ₡28.0K

-4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$51.7 ₡23.5K

-37.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$109 ₡49.4K

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$80.4 ₡36.6K

34.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$760 ₡345.6K

-37.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$602 ₡273.6K

-37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$734 ₡333.9K

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$770 ₡350.1K

-5.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,312 ₡596.8K

-61.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 156% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $315, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 156% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 67% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,512 in Cartago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cartago. 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 Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cartago 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 49% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.