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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $659 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,208 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,757 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Isla de Margarita are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Isla de Margarita 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.90 VES 5,798

-39.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$81.5 VES 47.7K

-59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.46 VES 1,442

-33.74%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.03 VES 602

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.49 VES 870

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.02 VES 600

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.98 VES 1,747

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.97 VES 1,156

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.97 VES 1,739

-56.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.05 VES 1,203

-35.61%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.43 VES 1,424

-6.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.20 VES 4,807

-46.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.99 VES 4,680

-26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.86 VES 4,608

9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.07 VES 2,386

-44.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.49 VES 873

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.04 VES 1,196

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.47 VES 1,446

-42.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.54 VES 903

-24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.85 VES 1,083

-36.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 VES 570

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.87 VES 2,853

126.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.02 VES 595

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.54 VES 904

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.95 VES 1,729

-52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.95 VES 1,730

-35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$29.95 VES 17.5K

179.40%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.86 VES 8,704

-36.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.97 VES 23.4K

-39.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$49.66 VES 29.1K

-49.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.08 VES 8,834

26.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.13 VES 3,007

-20.08%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$78.6 VES 46.1K

-26.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$99.5 VES 58.3K

0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$98.1 VES 57.5K

10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$299 VES 175.1K

61.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$503 VES 294.6K

66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$589 VES 345.1K

382.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $299 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 $81.0 in Isla de Margarita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $235 – 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 54%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $988 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 24% 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 $81.0 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 $659, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.