Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,428 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,047 in Merida, rent included.

Medellin costs about 108% more than Merida, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Merida is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.90 VES 10.0K

-32.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$60.4 VES 51.0K

-20.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.86 VES 9,169

-8.93%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.56 VES 2,165

22.27%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.11 VES 1,782

-9.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.31 VES 1,108

15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.96 VES 1,658

59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.04 VES 2,571

89.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.98 VES 1,673

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.27 VES 2,758

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.94 VES 1,638

-8.76%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.47 VES 2,085

19.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.56 VES 5,539

53.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.64 VES 6,452

32.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.32 VES 6,178

95.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.07 VES 4,285

-18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.47 VES 1,237

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.90 VES 2,452

-22.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.26 VES 1,909

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.99 VES 1,683

2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.35 VES 1,141

14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.50 VES 1,269

-22.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.58 VES 2,179

-49.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.81 VES 3,220

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.06 VES 9,339

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.39 VES 1,171

25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.11 VES 1,781

36.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.29 VES 245

320.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$4.11 VES 3,472

-68.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.54 VES 1,297

42.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.82 VES 4,916

49.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.76 VES 640

80.26%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$44.4K VES 37.5M

-37.30%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$50.3K VES 42.5M

-28.86%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$12.69 VES 10.7K

1297.16%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.46 VES 8,831

32.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$30.08 VES 25.4K

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$29.82 VES 25.2K

50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$15.02 VES 12.7K

13.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.98 VES 4,207

33.53%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$89.2 VES 75.3K

811.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,377 VES 2.0M

286.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$72.1 VES 60.8K

24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$41.21 VES 34.8K

43.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$98.5 VES 83.1K

40.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$98.2 VES 82.9K

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$132 VES 111.8K

702.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$91.6 VES 77.4K

623.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$224 VES 189.6K

741.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$188 VES 158.5K

447.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,186 VES 1.0M

252.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,215 VES 1.0M

37.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$285 VES 240.6K

137.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-56.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Merida: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $132 in Merida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 138% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in Merida. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $286 in Merida – so Merida wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 108%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,214 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $60.0 in Merida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merida – 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 Merida. 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.