Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cricova Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cricova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,054 in Cricova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $1,880 in Cricova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $2,706 in Cricova.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Cricova is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$8.51 MDL 151

-5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$28.14 MDL 500

65.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$10.52 MDL 187

-10.36%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$1.04 MDL 18.48

179.81%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$1.09 MDL 19.34

60.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.67 MDL 11.82

97.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$2.03 MDL 36.14

54.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$2.24 MDL 39.75

147.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$2.34 MDL 41.59

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$0.50 MDL 8.84

388.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

$1.10 MDL 19.55

48.18%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$1.25 MDL 22.27

125.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

$6.62 MDL 118

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

$4.66 MDL 82.7

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

$12.19 MDL 216

10.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$1.08 MDL 19.26

270.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$0.81 MDL 14.43

82.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

$1.05 MDL 18.59

101.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

$1.10 MDL 19.46

104.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$0.73 MDL 12.93

161.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

$1.05 MDL 18.62

54.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

$1.05 MDL 18.61

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$1.08 MDL 19.27

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$3.40 MDL 60.4

12.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

$4.46 MDL 79.2

193.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

$2.55 MDL 45.26

-37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

$4.30 MDL 76.5

-47.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

$0.56 MDL 9.92

108.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

$22.18 MDL 394

238.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$1.10 MDL 19.49

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

$0.24 MDL 4.22

754.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

$6.94 MDL 123

18.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$1.37 MDL 24.41

-7.30%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

-10.09%

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

43.26%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$239 MDL 4,239

-32.04%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$7.95 MDL 141

65.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$11.17 MDL 198

151.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

$56.7 MDL 1,007

-21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

$11.26 MDL 200

45.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$7.79 MDL 138

-21.82%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$112 MDL 1,997

579.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

69.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$56.6 MDL 1,006

50.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

$28.69 MDL 510

100.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$83.2 MDL 1,477

58.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$113 MDL 2,014

-15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$918 MDL 16.3K

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$223 MDL 3,957

171.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

-11.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

40.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

-17.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$581 MDL 10.3K

7.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $918 in Cricova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 8% 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 $28.00 in Cricova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $189 per month, with Cricova 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 Cricova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cricova differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,589 vs $1,054 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $918 in Cricova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cricova runs roughly 238% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $764 in Medellin versus $112 in Cricova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Cricova versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova 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 Cricova 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.