Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maracay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maracay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $642 in Maracay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,125 in Maracay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,608 in Maracay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Maracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Maracay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Maracay 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.97 VES 8,796

-48.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$54.7 VES 40.2K

-40.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.35 VES 5,401

-0.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.34 VES 985

28.36%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.23 VES 904

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.02 VES 751

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.54 VES 1,134

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.02 VES 1,487

56.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.82 VES 1,335

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.71 VES 1,991

-52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 VES 790

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.23 VES 1,641

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.81 VES 5,004

-35.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.46 VES 4,014

7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.37 VES 5,416

17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.91 VES 2,876

-41.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.86 VES 1,369

-40.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.17 VES 1,596

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.05 VES 1,509

-34.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.64 VES 1,943

-57.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.14 VES 1,573

-47.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.29 VES 951

-34.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.90 VES 1,400

-52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.54 VES 1,864

-7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.82 VES 7,217

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.17 VES 861

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.73 VES 1,270

43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.31 VES 230

170.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.94 VES 2,158

-51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.77 VES 2,038

-30.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.14 VES 7,452

-24.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.51 VES 375

94.12%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.9K VES 18.3M

-27.68%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.6K VES 29.1M

-32.70%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$10.06 VES 7,398

703.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.14 VES 9,658

-24.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.46 VES 29.0K

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$53.0 VES 39.0K

-52.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.55 VES 2,606

12.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$130 VES 95.9K

133.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,448 VES 4.0M

11.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$24.53 VES 18.0K

136.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.53 VES 21.7K

9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$79.5 VES 58.4K

26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$102 VES 74.9K

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$444 VES 326.0K

624.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$203 VES 149.0K

576.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$179 VES 131.5K

244.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

21.33

-37.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 245% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Maracay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $247 – 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 Maracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 61% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $963 in Maracay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $642 in Maracay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $130 in Maracay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $642, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $642 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. 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.