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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,215 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in Merida, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Merida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Merida 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.08 VES 7,528

-41.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$45.88 VES 34.3K

-28.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.87 VES 7,376

-24.72%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.61 VES 1,204

2.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.18 VES 883

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.75 VES 563

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.17 VES 875

47.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.47 VES 1,098

116.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.21 VES 1,652

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.53 VES 1,891

-50.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.67 VES 1,251

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.10 VES 1,566

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.28 VES 3,946

-14.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.34 VES 4,739

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.37 VES 5,508

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.96 VES 3,702

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.07 VES 798

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.75 VES 1,305

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.05 VES 781

29.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.93 VES 694

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.23 VES 919

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.25 VES 932

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.78 VES 1,331

-49.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.90 VES 2,909

-42.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.14 VES 8,319

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.18 VES 885

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.34 VES 999

85.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.27 VES 201

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.06 VES 3,031

-65.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.56 VES 1,911

-23.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.48 VES 360

106.25%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$44.4K VES 33.2M

-60.36%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$37.1K VES 27.7M

-27.77%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$13.41 VES 10.0K

519.02%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.04 VES 7,503

-3.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$37.61 VES 28.1K

-37.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$24.60 VES 18.4K

2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.01 VES 11.2K

27.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.97 VES 5,203

-43.33%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$56.9 VES 42.5K

455.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$88.5 VES 66.1K

-32.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$39.82 VES 29.7K

-20.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$86.3 VES 64.5K

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$64.2 VES 47.9K

67.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$116 VES 86.7K

309.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$91.7 VES 68.5K

307.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$208 VES 155.5K

307.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$188 VES 140.0K

283.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,180 VES 881.6K

176.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,222 VES 913.0K

17.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$288 VES 215.2K

116.77%

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 Merida: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $116 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 117% 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 $46.00 in Merida. 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 Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,079 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $46.00 in Merida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.