Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cimislia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cimislia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $854 in Cimislia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Cimislia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,639 in Cimislia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 21% more expensive than Cimislia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cimislia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.90 MDL 119

-14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.54 MDL 406

39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.57 MDL 131

-4.89%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.80 MDL 31.08

-5.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.91 MDL 15.67

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.70 MDL 12.02

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.16 MDL 19.93

43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.35 MDL 40.54

31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.04 MDL 17.92

1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.42 MDL 7.31

197.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.45 MDL 24.94

-4.14%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.08 MDL 35.94

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.90 MDL 153

-51.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.98 MDL 68.7

46.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.97 MDL 155

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.56 MDL 9.60

300.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.77 MDL 30.48

-38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.49 MDL 25.78

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.06 MDL 35.55

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.61 MDL 10.44

85.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.58 MDL 10.08

93.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.32 MDL 22.72

-35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.85 MDL 14.60

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.24 MDL 56.0

-28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.64 MDL 80.0

139.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.19 MDL 20.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.93 MDL 33.25

22.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.30 MDL 5.18

163.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.99 MDL 34.39

-27.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.27 MDL 4.70

607.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.39 MDL 92.9

48.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.38 MDL 23.76

-31.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.6K MDL 562.8K

-45.07%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.8K MDL 531.7K

-13.09%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$173 MDL 2,984

-51.47%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.62 MDL 131

25.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$10.91 MDL 188

121.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.29 MDL 298

49.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.59 MDL 131

-48.35%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$394 MDL 6,793

-22.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,539 MDL 130.0K

-21.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$65.7 MDL 1,133

-11.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$52.8 MDL 910

-39.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$114 MDL 1,961

-12.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$123 MDL 2,129

-13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$234 MDL 4,029

108.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$173 MDL 2,990

112.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$349 MDL 6,014

136.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$286 MDL 4,940

150.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$767 MDL 13.2K

281.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$710 MDL 12.2K

98.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$440 MDL 7,591

23.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $234 in Cimislia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% 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 $24.00 in Cimislia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $169 per month, with Cimislia 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 Cimislia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cimislia wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cimislia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 24% 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 $234 in Cimislia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $854 in Cimislia – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $854 in Cimislia versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cimislia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cimislia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cimislia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $854 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cimislia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cimislia 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 Cimislia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.