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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Granada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,203 in Granada, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,602 in Granada, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Granada, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Granada are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Granada 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.36 NIO 160

36.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.69 NIO 1,197

1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.82 NIO 250

6.01%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.01 NIO 73.8

-18.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.84 NIO 30.82

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.63 NIO 22.97

15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.33 NIO 48.85

30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.98 NIO 72.6

63.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.14 NIO 41.63

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.23 NIO 44.98

4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.74 NIO 27.20

78.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.44 NIO 52.9

57.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.83 NIO 140

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.86 NIO 178

20.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.16 NIO 299

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.89 NIO 142

-42.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.84 NIO 30.84

27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.81 NIO 66.4

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.92 NIO 33.60

54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.30 NIO 84.2

-49.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.09 NIO 39.84

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.01 NIO 37.12

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.01 NIO 36.98

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.74 NIO 100

-17.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.13 NIO 371

8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.46 NIO 53.5

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.58 NIO 58.0

50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.11 NIO 3.89

663.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$4.09 NIO 150

925.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.58 NIO 21.27

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.58 NIO 21.20

227.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.83 NIO 250

13.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.26 NIO 46.07

-19.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.9K NIO 839.7K

-23.32%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.9K NIO 950.0K

2.14%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$98.5 NIO 3,608

-15.06%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.72 NIO 612

-43.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$36.72 NIO 1,345

-34.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$35.06 NIO 1,284

-27.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.19 NIO 300

-49.94%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$126 NIO 4,625

147.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,021 NIO 220.5K

-0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$14.79 NIO 542

292.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$30.31 NIO 1,110

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$35.57 NIO 1,303

180.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$35.87 NIO 1,314

202.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$380 NIO 13.9K

26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$277 NIO 10.1K

37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$609 NIO 22.3K

37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$451 NIO 16.5K

60.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$171 NIO 6,246

217.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.25

31.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Granada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $380 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 217% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Granada. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $185 in Granada – so Granada wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,017 in Medellin, $804 in Granada – roughly 26% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,206 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 926% less in Granada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $126 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 $804, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $804 in Granada to $1,017 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.