Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cumbaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cumbaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $939 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,922 in Cumbaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Cumbaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Cumbaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cumbaya 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.38 $4.38

36.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$33.60 $33.60

-2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.95 $5.95

24.71%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.86 $2.86

-42.31%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.11 $1.11

-3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.66 $0.66

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.96 $1.96

-12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.11 $4.11

-22.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.09 $1.09

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.50 $1.50

-12.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.86 $1.86

-27.96%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.22 $2.22

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$8.68 $8.68

-49.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$7.95 $7.95

-28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.10 $8.10

5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.00 $2.00

17.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.22 $1.22

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.03 $1.03

47.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.32 $1.32

3.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.45 $1.45

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.09 $1.09

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.80 $0.80

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.06 $1.06

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$6.17 $6.17

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$8.03 $8.03

44.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.60 $1.60

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.98 $2.98

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.37 $0.37

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$24.13 $24.13

69.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.54 $1.54

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.54 $1.54

24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$9.91 $9.91

-21.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.67 $0.67

50.75%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$19.9K $19.9K

-11.13%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$25.1K $25.1K

5.34%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$34.28 $34.28

136.58%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$14.09 $14.09

-33.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$29.11 $29.11

-18.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$30.23 $30.23

-14.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$14.79 $14.79

26.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.92 $6.92

-40.90%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$280 $280

12.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$5,672 $5,672

6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$57.4 $57.4

4.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$43.57 $43.57

-26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$102 $102

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$85.3 $85.3

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$339 $339

43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$321 $321

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$630 $630

31.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$505 $505

44.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,178 $1,178

153.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$791 $791

66.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cumbaya: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $339 in Cumbaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Cumbaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $213 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cumbaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 10% more than Cumbaya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,408 in Cumbaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cumbaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Cumbaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $280 in Cumbaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cumbaya, where all-in costs run around $939, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Cumbaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cumbaya costs $939 versus $1,028 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cumbaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.