Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ciudad Guayana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ciudad Guayana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $696 in Ciudad Guayana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,125 in Ciudad Guayana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,555 in Ciudad Guayana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than Ciudad Guayana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ciudad Guayana 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.44 VES 5,275

-36.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$39.70 VES 22.2K

-17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$14.48 VES 8,095

-51.04%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.58 VES 2,003

-52.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.49 VES 833

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.01 VES 565

-22.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.02 VES 572

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.94 VES 1,085

58.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.86 VES 1,038

-41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.03 VES 576

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.99 VES 553

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.97 VES 1,660

-53.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$3.09 VES 1,726

-62.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.05 VES 1,144

-56.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.52 VES 850

-44.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.01 VES 2,242

-43.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.92 VES 514

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.03 VES 1,132

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.72 VES 403

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$30.07 VES 16.8K

37.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.52 VES 2,529

-67.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.95 VES 2,207

-50.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.49 VES 273

93.88%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.9K VES 22.3M

-54.52%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$70.8K VES 39.6M

-62.59%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$27.34 VES 15.3K

200.84%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$37.98 VES 21.2K

-36.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$29.94 VES 16.7K

-13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$14.76 VES 8,253

28.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.27 VES 3,503

-37.32%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$30.49 VES 17.0K

92.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.23 VES 19.7K

-8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$177 VES 98.8K

-41.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$98.6 VES 55.1K

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$150 VES 83.6K

218.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$100 VES 56.1K

277.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$295 VES 165.1K

183.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$202 VES 113.0K

258.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$261 VES 145.6K

971.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$127 VES 71.2K

850.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$111 VES 62.2K

360.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-46.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Guayana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $150 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 360% 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 $40.00 in Ciudad Guayana. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $85.0, with Ciudad Guayana 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 Ciudad Guayana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ciudad Guayana differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $696 including rent). Ciudad Guayana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 360% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $150 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ciudad Guayana – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Ciudad Guayana runs roughly 38% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Ciudad Guayana versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad Guayana but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad Guayana 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 Ciudad Guayana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.