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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $715 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,176 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,636 in Guararema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than Guararema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Guararema 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.37 R$22.14

36.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.05 R$162

3.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.25 R$26.56

37.71%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.93 R$4.70

75.27%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.86 R$4.34

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.75 R$3.79

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.82 R$9.23

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.76 R$13.96

17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.02 R$5.19

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.24 R$6.28

4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.11 R$5.62

18.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.30 R$11.63

-1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.10 R$46.05

-52.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.16 R$21.05

41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.34 R$42.23

3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.92 R$9.73

17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.62 R$8.22

-33.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.38 R$6.99

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.40 R$7.09

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.42 R$7.17

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.38 R$6.98

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.35 R$1.76

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.65 R$3.27

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.84 R$9.32

22.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.86 R$29.67

88.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.36 R$6.88

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.05 R$10.38

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.88 R$4.46

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.16 R$198

7.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.87 R$4.40

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.49 R$2.50

287.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.55 R$28.07

39.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.08 R$5.46

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$14.4K R$73.0K

22.00%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.5K R$109.1K

22.97%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$26.64 R$135

214.11%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.23 R$82.2

-41.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.86 R$55.0

122.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.85 R$116

10.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.26 R$108

-9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.61 R$18.30

13.57%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$330 R$1,673

-5.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,648 R$43.8K

-30.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$55.1 R$279

5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$23.52 R$119

38.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$72.5 R$367

37.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$54.3 R$275

99.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$316 R$1,598

52.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$214 R$1,084

77.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$574 R$2,907

45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$430 R$2,174

68.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,563 R$7,912

81.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,133 R$5,736

7.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$284 R$1,437

90.53%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Guararema: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $316 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 91% 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 $190 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 91% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $316 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $715 in Guararema – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 7% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $715 in Guararema versus $1,017 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.