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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,053 in Cricova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,939 in Cricova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,825 in Cricova.

Living in Medellin is roughly 60% more expensive than in Cricova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Cricova is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.56 MDL 145

-7.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$29.10 MDL 494

53.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$10.89 MDL 185

-14.69%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.08 MDL 18.32

168.52%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.09 MDL 18.47

66.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.73 MDL 12.35

112.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.02 MDL 34.27

60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.28 MDL 38.68

157.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.51 MDL 42.60

-45.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.52 MDL 8.89

371.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.09 MDL 18.49

38.53%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.30 MDL 22.06

113.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.95 MDL 118

30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.71 MDL 80.0

126.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$12.59 MDL 214

16.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.14 MDL 19.31

248.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.83 MDL 14.15

66.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.12 MDL 19.09

105.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.14 MDL 19.36

77.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.76 MDL 12.84

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.14 MDL 19.36

42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.09 MDL 18.57

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.08 MDL 18.42

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.38 MDL 57.4

19.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$4.73 MDL 80.2

184.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.66 MDL 45.17

-39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$4.49 MDL 76.2

-33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.60 MDL 10.27

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$23.42 MDL 398

241.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.13 MDL 19.21

42.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.27 MDL 4.63

688.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.90 MDL 117

23.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.37 MDL 23.20

-1.46%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

-6.42%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

41.91%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$249 MDL 4,235

-39.30%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$8.20 MDL 139

59.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$11.79 MDL 200

173.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$58.8 MDL 998

-21.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.72 MDL 199

47.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.96 MDL 135

-19.22%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$119 MDL 2,015

603.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

64.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$57.4 MDL 974

55.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$28.86 MDL 490

91.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$86.7 MDL 1,472

57.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$115 MDL 1,949

-4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$936 MDL 15.9K

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$229 MDL 3,881

192.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

39.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

-1.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

25.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

-21.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$584 MDL 9,924

7.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

49.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $936 in Cricova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 7% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Cricova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $197 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $1,053 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $952 in Medellin versus $936 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 241% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $119 in Cricova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,687 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 60% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.