Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manizales Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manizales

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $766 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,743 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,721 in Manizales, rent included.

Medellin costs about 119% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Manizales is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.42 COP 20.0K

24.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$41.11 COP 128.3K

16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.27 COP 32.0K

-3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.56 COP 7,974

22.27%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.37 COP 4,287

39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.83 COP 2,594

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.59 COP 4,950

96.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.61 COP 8,147

120.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.61 COP 5,038

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.44 COP 7,617

2.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.67 COP 5,206

5.99%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.85 COP 12.0K

-23.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.91 COP 24.7K

27.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.50 COP 23.4K

34.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.86 COP 33.9K

31.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.54 COP 11.1K

16.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.82 COP 5,693

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.05 COP 6,404

9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.85 COP 5,768

21.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.54 COP 4,799

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.46 COP 4,554

5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.39 COP 4,335

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.22 COP 3,822

7.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.59 COP 14.3K

-15.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.73 COP 39.7K

10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.44 COP 4,478

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.86 COP 8,923

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.08 COP 3,363

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.64 COP 5,121

-20.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.64 COP 5,107

33.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.88 COP 30.8K

-11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.38 COP 4,297

-0.72%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$22.3K COP 69.6M

24.89%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.3K COP 110.1M

1.41%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$129 COP 401.8K

37.69%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$12.46 COP 38.9K

11.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$31.40 COP 98.0K

-5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.95 COP 24.8K

-16.35%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$489 COP 1.5M

66.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,507 COP 20.3M

41.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$83.4 COP 260.3K

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$49.64 COP 154.9K

18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$144 COP 448.8K

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$112 COP 350.2K

-9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,041 COP 3.2M

81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,038 COP 3.2M

-1.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,136 COP 6.7M

95.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,123 COP 6.6M

-21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,213 COP 3.8M

-44.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Manizales: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 79% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $269 – making Manizales 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 Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $766 in Manizales – roughly 119% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,149 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $766 in Manizales. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $489 in Manizales. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manizales, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Manizales it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $766 in Manizales to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manizales. 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.