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: $1,589 in Medellin versus $804 in Cimislia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $1,151 in Cimislia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $1,498 in Cimislia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 98% more expensive than in Cimislia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Cimislia is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$6.59 MDL 117

21.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$22.41 MDL 398

107.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$10.70 MDL 190

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$1.73 MDL 30.64

68.21%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$1.11 MDL 19.68

57.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.66 MDL 11.78

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$1.15 MDL 20.35

172.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$2.32 MDL 41.15

139.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$1.05 MDL 18.61

34.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$0.38 MDL 6.82

542.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

$1.60 MDL 28.33

1.87%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$2.09 MDL 37.11

34.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

$6.85 MDL 122

41.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

$3.91 MDL 69.4

138.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

$6.30 MDL 112

113.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$0.59 MDL 10.40

577.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$2.31 MDL 41.05

-35.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

$1.45 MDL 25.78

46.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

$1.93 MDL 34.21

16.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$0.56 MDL 9.94

241.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

$0.49 MDL 8.78

230.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

$0.43 MDL 7.61

167.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$0.58 MDL 10.32

117.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$3.48 MDL 61.9

9.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

$4.65 MDL 82.5

181.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

$1.10 MDL 19.53

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

$2.03 MDL 36.07

11.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

$0.29 MDL 5.20

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$2.88 MDL 51.1

-55.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

$0.24 MDL 4.24

754.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

$5.62 MDL 99.9

45.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$1.43 MDL 25.35

-11.19%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$34.4K MDL 610.9K

-22.16%

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$24.5K MDL 434.8K

40.52%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$223 MDL 3,968

-27.40%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$7.76 MDL 138

69.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$11.16 MDL 198

151.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

$17.25 MDL 306

156.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$7.78 MDL 138

-21.72%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$113 MDL 2,009

575.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

$5,253 MDL 93.3K

69.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$45.68 MDL 811

86.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$56.0 MDL 994

135.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$51.7 MDL 917

85.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$224 MDL 3,982

358.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$170 MDL 3,026

254.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$338 MDL 5,999

433.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$289 MDL 5,124

243.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$727 MDL 12.9K

439.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$688 MDL 12.2K

138.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$430 MDL 7,629

45.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $224 in Cimislia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% 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: $47.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Cimislia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $151 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 98% 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.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $224 in Cimislia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Medellin versus $804 in Cimislia – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Cimislia versus $1,589 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 $804 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 98% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.