Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cruz Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cruz Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,929 in Cruz Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $4,734 in Cruz Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $6,539 in Cruz Bay.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 43% less than in Cruz Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Cruz Bay 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$30.49 $30.49

-73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$92.4 $92.4

-48.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$17.25 $17.25

-42.67%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$9.23 $9.23

-66.09%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.08 $3.08

-37.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.96 $3.96

-61.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.19 $8.19

-61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$8.88 $8.88

-35.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$8.02 $8.02

-82.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.90 $4.90

-39.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$15.68 $15.68

-35.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$8.69 $8.69

-52.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$24.90 $24.90

-43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$357 $357

-50.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$138 $138

-89.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$61.1 $61.1

-51.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$89.7 $89.7

-49.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$12.9K $12.9K

-28.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,819 $1,819

-41.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,482 $1,482

-55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,448 $3,448

-45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$3,537 $3,537

-70.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$10.8K $10.8K

-61.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$6,113 $6,113

-88.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cruz Bay: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,819 in Cruz Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cruz Bay pays 802% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $92.0 in Cruz Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $271, with Cruz Bay 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 Cruz Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cruz Bay differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,929 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 802% lower in Cruz Bay. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,819 in Cruz Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $92.0 in Cruz Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,929 in Cruz Bay – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,929 in Cruz Bay, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cruz Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cruz Bay 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Cruz Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.