Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guararema Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guararema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Medellin versus $713 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,161 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,609 in Guararema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 44% more expensive than Guararema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Guararema 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$4.60 R$22.85

28.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$32.72 R$163

1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$5.38 R$26.75

34.76%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$0.94 R$4.67

81.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.93 R$4.61

17.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.75 R$3.72

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.83 R$9.11

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.75 R$13.69

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.95 R$4.74

11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.28 R$6.37

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.11 R$5.50

24.32%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.29 R$11.40

-3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$9.19 R$45.70

-50.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.21 R$20.90

37.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$8.27 R$41.08

8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.93 R$9.62

18.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.60 R$7.94

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.45 R$7.21

4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.48 R$7.33

-8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.46 R$7.27

-20.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.39 R$6.93

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.38 R$1.87

118.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.67 R$3.34

26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$1.82 R$9.03

29.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$6.08 R$30.21

82.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.30 R$6.47

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.97 R$9.81

25.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.87 R$4.34

-9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$38.58 R$192

8.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.93 R$4.61

54.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.53 R$2.61

258.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.43 R$27.00

41.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.08 R$5.34

-4.63%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$14.1K R$70.2K

25.10%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$21.3K R$105.9K

26.77%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$26.53 R$132

206.90%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$16.08 R$79.9

-41.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$10.70 R$53.2

122.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$22.47 R$112

15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$21.26 R$106

-9.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.64 R$18.08

11.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$331 R$1,644

-5.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$8,926 R$44.4K

-32.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$54.0 R$268

9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$23.01 R$114

42.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$71.7 R$356

40.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$53.5 R$266

98.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$314 R$1,559

56.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$215 R$1,067

72.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$573 R$2,848

46.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$426 R$2,117

67.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,702 R$8,457

73.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,214 R$6,032

14.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$306 R$1,519

74.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Guararema: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $314 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 74% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $33 in Guararema. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $181, with Guararema cheaper for home cooking.

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 Guararema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guararema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Medellin versus $314 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $713 in Guararema – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 8% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $713 in Guararema versus $1,030 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guararema but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Guararema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Guararema 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 Guararema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.