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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,235 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,751 in Merida, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Merida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Merida 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.84 VES 5,764

-39.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.37 VES 26.0K

-24.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.93 VES 5,816

-27.19%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.56 VES 912

4.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.20 VES 704

-9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.81 VES 476

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.13 VES 664

53.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.54 VES 902

109.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.16 VES 1,263

-51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.46 VES 1,441

-47.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.67 VES 976

-20.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.11 VES 1,237

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.35 VES 3,138

-18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.50 VES 3,808

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.55 VES 4,421

14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.20 VES 3,047

-56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.06 VES 624

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.74 VES 1,020

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.04 VES 611

36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.98 VES 577

19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.25 VES 730

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.29 VES 753

-31.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.74 VES 1,022

-48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.95 VES 2,315

-43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.89 VES 6,381

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.19 VES 696

-4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.32 VES 776

80.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.29 VES 172

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.05 VES 2,375

-65.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.57 VES 1,507

-26.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.48 VES 283

110.42%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$45.2K VES 26.5M

-61.13%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$37.7K VES 22.1M

-29.76%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$12.91 VES 7,565

548.18%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.81 VES 5,750

-3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$38.11 VES 22.3K

-36.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$25.14 VES 14.7K

0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.97 VES 8,771

27.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.87 VES 4,023

-40.32%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$56.9 VES 33.3K

448.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$90.6 VES 53.1K

-35.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$40.39 VES 23.7K

-19.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$85.9 VES 50.3K

15.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$64.7 VES 37.9K

67.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$119 VES 69.7K

305.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$88.3 VES 51.7K

329.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$205 VES 120.0K

308.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$190 VES 111.6K

279.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,199 VES 702.4K

136.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,177 VES 689.5K

3.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$288 VES 168.6K

87.99%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Merida: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $119 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 88% 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 $44.00 in Merida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $239 – 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 42%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,077 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 $44.00 in Merida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.