Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Catacamas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Catacamas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Catacamas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $953 in Catacamas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Catacamas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 74% more than Catacamas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Catacamas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Catacamas 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.67 HNL 151

5.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$37.98 HNL 1,012

-13.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.89 HNL 210

-10.14%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.26 HNL 60.3

-24.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.00 HNL 26.72

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.12 HNL 29.78

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.16 HNL 31.03

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.65 HNL 70.7

15.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.45 HNL 38.73

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.17 HNL 57.7

-41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.23 HNL 32.84

12.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.12 HNL 56.3

3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.29 HNL 168

-30.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.68 HNL 97.9

52.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.14 HNL 217

9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.97 HNL 79.1

-21.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.50 HNL 39.94

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.52 HNL 40.37

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.58 HNL 41.98

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.64 HNL 43.81

-29.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.37 HNL 36.46

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.88 HNL 23.36

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.63 HNL 43.49

-48.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.53 HNL 67.4

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.29 HNL 34.30

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.87 HNL 49.72

32.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.20 HNL 112

-65.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.06 HNL 28.33

-10.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.0K HNL 506.3K

-4.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$18.9K HNL 503.2K

40.19%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$81.4 HNL 2,167

1.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.05 HNL 241

4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$40.38 HNL 1,075

-40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.63 HNL 150

-30.20%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$246 HNL 6,566

25.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$46.35 HNL 1,235

26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.40 HNL 970

-11.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$107 HNL 2,848

-4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$102 HNL 2,710

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Catacamas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Catacamas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Catacamas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $873 in Catacamas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Catacamas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Catacamas, where all-in costs run around $582, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Catacamas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Catacamas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Catacamas. 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.