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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,253 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,705 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,156 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 18% less than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cayo Coco 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.85 CUP 116

22.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$14.79 CUP 355

121.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.88 CUP 165

4.65%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.99 CUP 23.69

71.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.96 CUP 46.97

-43.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.99 CUP 23.66

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.03 CUP 48.77

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.95 CUP 70.8

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.05 CUP 73.1

-65.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.03 CUP 24.67

21.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.05 CUP 49.31

-32.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.57 CUP 85.7

-36.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.15 CUP 148

-29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.93 CUP 118

18.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.88 CUP 237

-10.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.98 CUP 120

-55.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.97 CUP 23.31

11.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.98 CUP 23.44

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.01 CUP 24.35

35.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.02 CUP 24.37

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.02 CUP 72.5

-62.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.97 CUP 23.37

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.97 CUP 23.32

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.93 CUP 70.2

-20.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.08 CUP 242

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.95 CUP 46.77

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.05 CUP 49.22

15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$19.77 CUP 474

108.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.02 CUP 24.36

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.02 CUP 24.38

87.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$19.66 CUP 472

-59.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.98 CUP 23.44

-4.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$70.1K CUP 1.7M

-74.43%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$80.8K CUP 1.9M

-66.84%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$40.48 CUP 972

107.41%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$40.55 CUP 973

-76.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$219 CUP 5,256

-88.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$40.38 CUP 969

-35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$10.07 CUP 242

89.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$1.02 CUP 24.43

284.31%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$91.5 CUP 2,196

234.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$15.3K CUP 366.0K

-61.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$39.50 CUP 948

46.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.22 CUP 725

5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.5 CUP 1,789

34.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$80.8 CUP 1,939

32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$396 CUP 9,499

22.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$425 CUP 10.2K

-13.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,044 CUP 25.1K

-20.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$617 CUP 14.8K

16.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$296 CUP 7,114

886.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$352 CUP 8,454

299.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$20.16 CUP 484

2605.90%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $396 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2606% 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 $190 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 21% 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.

Medellin pays 2606% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $396 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 108% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $91.5 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,253 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 $1,034 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 21% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.