Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,658 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,110 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 17% less than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Cayo Coco 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.85 CUP 116

21.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$14.73 CUP 353

123.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.07 CUP 170

5.09%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.02 CUP 24.39

61.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.05 CUP 49.17

-46.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.99 CUP 23.67

-21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.03 CUP 48.78

-15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.95 CUP 70.8

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$3.01 CUP 72.3

-63.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.97 CUP 23.30

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.01 CUP 48.32

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.50 CUP 83.9

-37.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.06 CUP 145

-25.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.88 CUP 117

18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.18 CUP 244

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.10 CUP 122

-54.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.02 CUP 24.46

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.97 CUP 23.31

56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.97 CUP 23.38

40.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.97 CUP 23.35

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.98 CUP 71.5

-60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 CUP 24.59

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.03 CUP 24.64

-12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-23.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.97 CUP 239

21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.95 CUP 46.80

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.05 CUP 49.16

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$19.73 CUP 474

110.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.03 CUP 24.67

37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.02 CUP 24.42

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$20.03 CUP 481

-60.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.97 CUP 23.32

2.06%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$70.6K CUP 1.7M

-75.07%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$81.1K CUP 1.9M

-66.94%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$40.57 CUP 974

104.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$40.77 CUP 978

-76.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$219 CUP 5,267

-89.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$39.94 CUP 959

-36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$9.89 CUP 237

93.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$0.98 CUP 23.54

303.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$91.1 CUP 2,187

246.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$14.9K CUP 357.8K

-59.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$39.55 CUP 949

51.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.45 CUP 731

4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.0 CUP 1,799

35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$81.5 CUP 1,956

31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$393 CUP 9,437

20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$431 CUP 10.3K

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

-19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$617 CUP 14.8K

16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$304 CUP 7,297

973.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$348 CUP 8,351

314.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$20.02 CUP 481

3019.13%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $393 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 3019% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $234, 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 Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Cayo Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3019% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $393 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 111% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $91.1 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cayo Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.