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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $650 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,786 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 25% lower, Isla de Margarita 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.87 VES 7,370

-40.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$80.4 VES 60.0K

-58.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.47 VES 1,844

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.98 VES 730

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.49 VES 1,111

-47.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.03 VES 766

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.05 VES 2,277

4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.02 VES 1,510

-45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.05 VES 2,280

-58.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.05 VES 1,533

-32.68%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.34 VES 1,744

-6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.04 VES 6,002

-44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.13 VES 6,075

-28.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.06 VES 6,023

11.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.11 VES 3,071

-43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.54 VES 1,153

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.04 VES 1,522

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.55 VES 1,901

-46.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.48 VES 1,103

-23.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.77 VES 1,321

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.03 VES 768

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.11 VES 3,817

137.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.99 VES 737

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.53 VES 1,145

62.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.08 VES 2,300

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.96 VES 2,213

-34.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$30.45 VES 22.7K

172.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$15.23 VES 11.4K

-36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$40.42 VES 30.2K

-41.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$50.5 VES 37.7K

-50.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.24 VES 11.4K

25.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.85 VES 3,624

-18.56%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$80.0 VES 59.7K

-24.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$98.2 VES 73.3K

3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$101 VES 75.2K

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$298 VES 222.5K

59.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$499 VES 372.9K

70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$592 VES 442.0K

451.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 $80.0 in Isla de Margarita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $238 – 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $976 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 23% 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 $80.0 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 $650, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.