Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isla de Margarita Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isla de Margarita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $663 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,232 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,801 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Isla de Margarita are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Isla de Margarita 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.96 VES 4,850

-40.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$79.1 VES 38.5K

-58.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.51 VES 1,224

-32.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.02 VES 495

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.52 VES 742

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.98 VES 477

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.09 VES 1,504

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.96 VES 954

-45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.95 VES 1,435

-57.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.96 VES 957

-29.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.45 VES 1,195

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.24 VES 4,013

-47.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.78 VES 3,792

-24.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.90 VES 3,849

11.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.88 VES 1,891

-42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 VES 742

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.01 VES 982

-23.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.43 VES 1,181

-43.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.47 VES 717

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.78 VES 866

-37.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.99 VES 481

-14.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.88 VES 2,378

128.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.98 VES 477

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.52 VES 742

55.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.92 VES 1,423

-50.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.02 VES 1,470

-36.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$29.45 VES 14.3K

185.09%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.74 VES 7,178

-34.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.33 VES 19.6K

-40.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$50.9 VES 24.8K

-49.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.73 VES 7,174

29.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.92 VES 2,398

-20.33%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$78.9 VES 38.4K

-26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$101 VES 49.2K

-1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$102 VES 49.6K

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$298 VES 144.9K

63.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$498 VES 242.7K

65.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$589 VES 286.8K

396.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $298 in Isla de Margarita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $232 – making Medellin 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 Isla de Margarita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $994 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Isla de Margarita. 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.