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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $698 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,146 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,594 in Guararema.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Guararema 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.55 R$23.10

29.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$31.97 R$162

3.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.35 R$27.14

38.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.91 R$4.63

81.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.93 R$4.70

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.75 R$3.81

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.78 R$9.01

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.66 R$13.49

19.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.01 R$5.12

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.25 R$6.32

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.11 R$5.62

24.32%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.40 R$12.20

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.88 R$45.06

-49.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.16 R$21.09

39.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.43 R$42.79

6.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.97 R$9.99

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.63 R$8.25

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.38 R$7.00

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.45 R$7.36

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.48 R$7.52

-23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.32 R$6.70

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.35 R$1.75

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.64 R$3.25

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.84 R$9.34

21.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.95 R$30.20

103.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.35 R$6.85

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.99 R$10.08

24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.87 R$4.43

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$38.36 R$195

8.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.93 R$4.73

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.49 R$2.48

297.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.32 R$26.97

48.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.04 R$5.26

-4.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$14.0K R$70.8K

26.15%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.9K R$111.1K

22.41%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$26.92 R$137

208.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.45 R$83.5

-41.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$10.87 R$55.2

116.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.26 R$113

13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.92 R$111

-12.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.52 R$17.85

12.22%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$333 R$1,687

-5.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,727 R$44.3K

-31.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$53.2 R$270

12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$23.28 R$118

36.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$72.2 R$366

40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$54.4 R$276

97.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$317 R$1,610

49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$220 R$1,115

70.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$586 R$2,975

44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$427 R$2,165

68.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,608 R$8,159

103.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,167 R$5,923

23.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$294 R$1,490

112.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Guararema: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $317 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 113% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Guararema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $180 per month, with Guararema cheaper across the board.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 113% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $317 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $698 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 $698 in Guararema versus $1,003 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.