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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,224 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,729 in Merida, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Merida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Merida 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.87 VES 4,806

-40.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$45.38 VES 22.1K

-27.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.04 VES 4,890

-28.29%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.63 VES 796

4.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.15 VES 562

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.82 VES 398

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.16 VES 566

43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.47 VES 718

110.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.19 VES 1,065

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.55 VES 1,240

-50.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.66 VES 810

-16.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.08 VES 1,015

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.28 VES 2,572

-17.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.55 VES 3,188

-10.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.21 VES 3,512

22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.16 VES 2,513

-56.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.06 VES 517

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.67 VES 811

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.04 VES 509

31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.90 VES 440

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.19 VES 578

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.24 VES 602

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.73 VES 841

-47.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.05 VES 1,973

-42.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.96 VES 5,341

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.18 VES 574

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.32 VES 641

79.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.29 VES 143

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.98 VES 1,938

-63.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.46 VES 1,200

-22.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 VES 238

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$45.7K VES 22.3M

-60.77%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$38.0K VES 18.5M

-29.56%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$12.90 VES 6,286

550.85%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.86 VES 4,804

-2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.11 VES 18.1K

-34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$25.22 VES 12.3K

2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.79 VES 7,204

28.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.09 VES 3,453

-44.71%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$58.4 VES 28.4K

424.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$89.0 VES 43.4K

-34.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$40.55 VES 19.8K

-21.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$87.6 VES 42.7K

14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$65.9 VES 32.1K

62.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$119 VES 57.9K

309.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$90.8 VES 44.2K

305.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$203 VES 99.1K

305.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$188 VES 91.5K

281.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,154 VES 562.1K

153.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,193 VES 581.1K

17.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$293 VES 143.0K

85.87%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Merida: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 86% 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 $45.00 in Merida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 44%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,078 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 $45.00 in Merida. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% 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 $1,034. 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.