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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,479 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,112 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,744 in Cartago.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 30% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Cartago is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.04 ₡3,595

-23.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.05 ₡14.3K

1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.83 ₡3,951

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.95 ₡1,765

-56.46%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.04 ₡911

-48.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.23 ₡550

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.02 ₡905

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.63 ₡2,072

-31.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.06 ₡923

-49.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.15 ₡963

-39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.13 ₡953

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.97 ₡1,329

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.02 ₡3,587

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.95 ₡4,002

-34.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.53 ₡6,051

-36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.38 ₡1,957

-47.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.17 ₡522

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.92 ₡1,753

-60.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.63 ₡1,176

-48.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.96 ₡876

-42.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.03 ₡906

-44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.01 ₡453

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.02 ₡904

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.40 ₡2,417

-56.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.54 ₡6,951

-20.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.52 ₡1,129

-52.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.76 ₡785

41.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.07 ₡477

-21.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$70.3 ₡31.4K

-42.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.36 ₡607

4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.86 ₡834

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.12 ₡3,631

-5.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.45 ₡647

-31.72%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.7K ₡16.9M

-52.16%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.6K ₡14.6M

-18.25%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$47.57 ₡21.3K

69.88%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.51 ₡11.4K

-61.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$56.1 ₡25.1K

-56.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$56.9 ₡25.5K

-55.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$23.47 ₡10.5K

-18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.50 ₡2,910

-38.77%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$491 ₡219.8K

-37.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,083 ₡3.2M

-14.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$63.1 ₡28.2K

-7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$51.9 ₡23.2K

-37.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$107 ₡48.0K

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.6 ₡35.2K

37.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$768 ₡343.6K

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$605 ₡270.7K

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$734 ₡328.3K

15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$761 ₡340.6K

-4.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,319 ₡590.2K

-53.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $768 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 114% 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 $32.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 114% lower in Cartago. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $768 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 73% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,479 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 43% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.