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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $684 in Ciudad Guayana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,140 in Ciudad Guayana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,597 in Ciudad Guayana.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than in Ciudad Guayana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ciudad Guayana 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.59 VES 7,052

-35.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$39.43 VES 29.0K

-17.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$14.54 VES 10.7K

-49.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.52 VES 2,589

-51.14%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.47 VES 1,083

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.98 VES 721

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.01 VES 745

67.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.05 VES 1,508

54.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.88 VES 1,379

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.97 VES 715

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.02 VES 751

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.97 VES 2,186

-54.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.98 VES 2,192

-62.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.05 VES 1,506

-58.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.52 VES 1,121

-40.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.07 VES 2,989

-42.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.88 VES 649

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.95 VES 1,434

27.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.78 VES 570

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.02 VES 22.1K

35.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.42 VES 3,249

-67.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.97 VES 2,915

-51.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.48 VES 349

106.25%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.7K VES 29.2M

-54.62%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$71.3K VES 52.4M

-62.64%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$27.02 VES 19.9K

199.07%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.07 VES 27.2K

-34.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$30.39 VES 22.3K

-17.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.73 VES 10.8K

30.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.12 VES 4,500

-34.97%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.92 VES 22.0K

94.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.67 VES 26.2K

-9.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$178 VES 130.7K

-43.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$99.1 VES 72.9K

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$152 VES 111.6K

213.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$98.2 VES 72.2K

282.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$294 VES 216.2K

187.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$200 VES 147.0K

265.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$260 VES 190.9K

1138.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$130 VES 95.9K

952.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$109 VES 79.8K

467.96%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Guayana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $152 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 468% 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 $39.00 in Ciudad Guayana. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $84.0, 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $684 including rent). Ciudad Guayana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 468% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $152 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 $39.00 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 35% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $684 in Ciudad Guayana versus $1,031 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 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.