Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Goma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Goma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $422 in Goma, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $738 in Goma, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,054 in Goma, rent included.

Medellin costs about 289% more than Goma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Goma is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$15.06 CDF 34.1K

-46.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$44.76 CDF 101.3K

7.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.14 CDF 22.9K

-7.10%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.53 CDF 7,983

-16.71%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.02 CDF 2,305

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.98 CDF 2,207

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.19 CDF 2,690

169.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.94 CDF 11.2K

15.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.98 CDF 2,215

46.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.18 CDF 2,678

44.07%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.53 CDF 3,465

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.94 CDF 13.4K

69.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.56 CDF 5,791

289.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$5.09 CDF 11.5K

178.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.05 CDF 4,632

94.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.51 CDF 3,418

42.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.52 CDF 1,186

284.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.72 CDF 1,628

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.03 CDF 4,582

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.43 CDF 5,495

12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$14.88 CDF 33.7K

-8.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$60.3 CDF 136.3K

-53.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$29.71 CDF 67.2K

53.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Goma: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $108 – making Goma 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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 289% more than Goma, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $632 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $422 in Goma. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 178% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $422, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $422 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Goma. 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.