Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $807 in Minca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,225 in Minca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,642 in Minca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Minca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Minca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Minca 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.88 COP 14.0K

52.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.32 COP 84.2K

40.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.25 COP 26.2K

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.55 COP 5,607

9.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.92 COP 3,334

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.61 COP 2,198

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.20 COP 4,341

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.14 COP 7,743

44.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.07 COP 3,853

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 COP 4,529

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.13 COP 4,063

23.01%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.12 COP 7,641

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.44 COP 16.0K

-2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.34 COP 19.3K

9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.26 COP 26.2K

21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.51 COP 9,059

-10.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.03 COP 3,718

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.37 COP 4,939

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.10 COP 3,958

24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 COP 4,008

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.13 COP 4,072

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.87 COP 3,125

-2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.69 COP 2,476

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.43 COP 8,757

-4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.49 COP 34.3K

17.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.09 COP 3,929

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.77 COP 6,386

33.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.67 COP 2,403

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.10 COP 108.7K

36.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.43 COP 5,146

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.73 COP 6,233

10.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.98 COP 21.6K

34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.92 COP 3,333

2.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$17.8K COP 64.2M

0.72%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.1K COP 90.7M

6.63%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$83.6 COP 301.7K

0.47%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.25 COP 33.4K

3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.82 COP 82.4K

5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.86 COP 86.1K

8.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.87 COP 14.0K

1.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$238 COP 858.0K

28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,939 COP 21.4M

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$58.1 COP 209.7K

-0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$32.20 COP 116.3K

-1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$84.7 COP 305.7K

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.9 COP 263.3K

46.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$276 COP 996.2K

76.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$237 COP 854.7K

55.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$528 COP 1.9M

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$409 COP 1.5M

75.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,434 COP 5.2M

104.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,049 COP 3.8M

34.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.06

2.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Minca: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $276 in Minca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Minca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $173 – making Minca 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 Minca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,211 in Minca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Minca, 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 $23.00 in Minca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $807 in Minca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Minca, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Minca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Minca. 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.