Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Granada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Granada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $889 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,248 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,608 in Granada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than Granada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Granada is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.12 NIO 151

94.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$23.63 NIO 865

102.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.94 NIO 254

42.51%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.68 NIO 61.6

86.31%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.84 NIO 30.94

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.64 NIO 23.27

135.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.29 NIO 47.12

141.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.94 NIO 71.2

196.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.24 NIO 45.37

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.57 NIO 57.7

58.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.54 NIO 19.77

227.78%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.19 NIO 43.50

148.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$4.81 NIO 176

109.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.02 NIO 184

101.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.06 NIO 259

102.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$3.66 NIO 134

13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.58 NIO 21.27

177.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.82 NIO 66.6

23.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.98 NIO 36.03

129.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.72 NIO 99.8

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.02 NIO 37.51

50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.02 NIO 37.34

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.03 NIO 37.86

27.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.58 NIO 94.6

51.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$10.05 NIO 368

39.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.48 NIO 54.2

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.71 NIO 62.5

67.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.11 NIO 3.98

1009.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$4.02 NIO 147

1901.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.58 NIO 21.34

125.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.59 NIO 58.1

37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.64 NIO 243

31.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.29 NIO 47.13

6.20%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$22.8K NIO 835.2K

22.06%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$26.8K NIO 980.6K

33.60%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$118 NIO 4,320

50.32%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$16.84 NIO 617

-17.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$36.63 NIO 1,342

-18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$8.74 NIO 320

-23.91%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$232 NIO 8,495

250.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$6,151 NIO 225.3K

49.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$15.11 NIO 553

492.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$30.14 NIO 1,104

95.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$34.32 NIO 1,257

302.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$35.84 NIO 1,313

184.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$432 NIO 15.8K

145.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$347 NIO 12.7K

90.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$807 NIO 29.6K

134.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$510 NIO 18.7K

101.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$135 NIO 4,955

400.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.25

6.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Granada: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $432 in Granada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 401% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Granada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $187 – making Granada 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 Granada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $889 in Granada – roughly 89% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,333 in Granada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1902% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $232 in Granada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Granada, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Granada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $889 in Granada to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Granada. 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.