Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mariano Roque Alonso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mariano Roque Alonso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $544 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $747 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $950 in Mariano Roque Alonso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 89% more expensive than in Mariano Roque Alonso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mariano Roque Alonso 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.50 ₲27.1K

36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$22.41 ₲135.2K

45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.59 ₲21.7K

104.46%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.49 ₲9,011

15.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.68 ₲4,102

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.38 ₲2,279

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.41 ₲8,499

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$0.72 ₲4,342

340.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.74 ₲4,446

41.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.90 ₲5,451

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.81 ₲4,912

72.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.65 ₲9,960

30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.13 ₲30.9K

-14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.12 ₲18.8K

88.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.38 ₲32.5K

60.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.54 ₲9,262

48.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.51 ₲3,085

117.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.65 ₲3,941

135.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.60 ₲9,633

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.10 ₲6,640

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.52 ₲3,132

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.53 ₲3,182

60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.39 ₲2,382

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.36 ₲8,199

72.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.93 ₲23.7K

214.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.66 ₲3,953

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.84 ₲5,058

196.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.45 ₲2,714

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.93 ₲234.8K

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.65 ₲3,892

118.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.72 ₲4,370

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.59 ₲51.8K

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.81 ₲4,874

22.22%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$13.4K ₲80.7M

34.66%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.6K ₲130.1M

23.45%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$38.40 ₲231.6K

110.44%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.87 ₲83.6K

-28.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.82 ₲89.4K

63.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.05 ₲127.0K

19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.31 ₲26.0K

-7.66%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$165 ₲994.8K

85.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$894 ₲5.4M

577.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$43.88 ₲264.6K

32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$31.71 ₲191.2K

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$63.0 ₲380.1K

59.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$51.1 ₲308.1K

110.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$187 ₲1.1M

154.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$126 ₲759.8K

198.57%

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

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$808 ₲4.9M

-23.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mariano Roque Alonso: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $187 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mariano Roque Alonso pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Mariano Roque Alonso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $119 per month, with Mariano Roque Alonso cheaper across the board.

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 Mariano Roque Alonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mariano Roque Alonso wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mariano Roque Alonso the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Mariano Roque Alonso. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $187 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mariano Roque Alonso runs roughly 4% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $165 in Mariano Roque Alonso. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $544 in Mariano Roque Alonso versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mariano Roque Alonso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mariano Roque Alonso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mariano Roque Alonso delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $544 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mariano Roque Alonso hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mariano Roque Alonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.