Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cucuta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cucuta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,367 in Cucuta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $2,071 in Cucuta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $2,774 in Cucuta.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cucuta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Cucuta 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.93 COP 21.2K

13.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$41.82 COP 128.1K

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.28 COP 28.4K

0.11%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.58 COP 7,921

12.40%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.41 COP 4,320

28.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.89 COP 2,741

74.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.00 COP 6,114

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.92 COP 12.0K

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.53 COP 4,695

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.42 COP 7,422

1.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.53 COP 4,689

-1.31%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.93 COP 8,969

-5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$7.44 COP 22.8K

21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$10.63 COP 32.6K

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$13.26 COP 40.6K

10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.49 COP 10.7K

13.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.38 COP 4,241

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.88 COP 5,769

22.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.97 COP 6,025

2.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.44 COP 4,420

45.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.59 COP 4,864

2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.16 COP 3,550

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.14 COP 3,484

9.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$4.26 COP 13.1K

-5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.35 COP 40.9K

0.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.51 COP 4,635

5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.01 COP 9,211

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.10 COP 3,378

7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.92 COP 5,886

-16.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.52 COP 7,710

-15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$9.07 COP 27.8K

-6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.30 COP 3,984

3.85%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$27.0K COP 82.6M

5.07%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$35.2K COP 107.8M

1.44%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$151 COP 462.2K

0.35%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$12.08 COP 37.0K

8.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$31.17 COP 95.5K

3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$39.79 COP 121.9K

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$6.52 COP 20.0K

-1.38%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$618 COP 1.9M

35.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,224 COP 25.2M

8.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$76.3 COP 233.9K

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$63.1 COP 193.4K

-12.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$139 COP 424.4K

-1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$105 COP 321.8K

4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$661 COP 2.0M

44.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$442 COP 1.4M

51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,004 COP 3.1M

101.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$949 COP 2.9M

20.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,260 COP 6.9M

63.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,462 COP 4.5M

8.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.79

-11.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cucuta: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $661 in Cucuta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $42.00 in Cucuta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $282 per month, with Cucuta 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 Cucuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,530 in Medellin and $2,051 in Cucuta to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Medellin versus $661 in Cucuta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $618 in Cucuta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,367 in Cucuta versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cucuta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cucuta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cucuta is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.