Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cayey Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cayey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,173 in Cayey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,402 in Cayey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,630 in Cayey.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 23% less than in Cayey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Cayey 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$18.76 $18.76

-57.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$84.4 $84.4

-43.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$9.46 $9.46

4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.59 $3.59

-12.81%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.77 $1.77

7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.43 $1.43

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.96 $2.96

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$5.10 $5.10

12.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.23 $2.23

-35.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.60 $3.60

-30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.36 $2.36

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$7.52 $7.52

-60.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.28 $12.28

-18.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$9.82 $9.82

3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.56 $13.56

5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$5.20 $5.20

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.64 $2.64

-39.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$4.92 $4.92

-54.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.84 $4.84

-53.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$3.88 $3.88

-47.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$4.04 $4.04

-61.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$3.48 $3.48

-66.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.64 $1.64

-20.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$12.22 $12.22

-68.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$15.91 $15.91

-11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.96 $2.96

-41.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.98 $3.98

-27.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.55 $2.55

-48.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.53 $1.53

43.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$42.40 $42.40

-79.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.02 $1.02

34.31%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$40.6K $40.6K

-31.41%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.8K $27.8K

28.53%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$316 $316

-43.86%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$68.6 $68.6

-79.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$70.7 $70.7

-57.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$39.49 $39.49

13.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$9.87 $9.87

-32.62%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$824 $824

-1.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$12.3K $12.3K

-25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$57.1 $57.1

56.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$61.4 $61.4

-4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$110 $110

25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$112 $112

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,214 $1,214

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$793 $793

-16.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,408 $2,408

-21.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$1,824 $1,824

-43.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$3,728 $3,728

-81.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.55

67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cayey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,214 in Cayey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 450% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $84.0 in Cayey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $418 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Cayey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cayey differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,173 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 450% lower in Cayey. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,214 in Cayey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $824 in Cayey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $84.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,173 in Cayey, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cayey. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.