Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miraflores Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miraflores

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,062 in Miraflores, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,177 in Miraflores, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,293 in Miraflores, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Miraflores, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Miraflores are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Miraflores 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.20 PEN 14.28

40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$33.32 PEN 113

-1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.87 PEN 16.58

52.57%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.66 PEN 9.05

-37.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.98 PEN 3.35

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.62 PEN 2.10

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.20 PEN 7.49

-21.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.92 PEN 13.34

-18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.28 PEN 4.36

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.09 PEN 3.71

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.37 PEN 4.65

0.73%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.88 PEN 9.80

-24.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.84 PEN 26.66

-42.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$5.73 PEN 19.48

1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.54 PEN 29.05

5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.04 PEN 6.95

13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.07 PEN 3.64

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.15 PEN 3.90

32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.08 PEN 3.68

25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.99 PEN 3.37

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.79 PEN 2.70

48.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.86 PEN 2.92

4.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.54 PEN 1.85

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$5.41 PEN 18.41

-58.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.64 PEN 29.40

40.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.65 PEN 5.60

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.70 PEN 9.17

-8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.27 PEN 0.91

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$3.30 PEN 11.22

-56.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$2.15 PEN 7.31

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$8.46 PEN 28.78

-6.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.27 PEN 4.33

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.4K PEN 66.0K

-9.27%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$24.2K PEN 82.4K

10.63%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$55.3 PEN 188

50.03%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$8.15 PEN 27.70

19.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$24.14 PEN 82.1

-2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$33.26 PEN 113

-24.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.91 PEN 23.48

-42.84%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$219 PEN 745

44.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$8,007 PEN 27.2K

-25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$49.86 PEN 170

20.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$35.77 PEN 122

-11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$90.7 PEN 308

12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$82.0 PEN 279

31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$658 PEN 2,239

-27.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$501 PEN 1,705

-25.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,602 PEN 5,448

-47.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,518 PEN 8,563

29.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.11

32.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $658 in Miraflores. 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 $33.00 in Miraflores. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $191 in Miraflores – so Miraflores 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 Miraflores: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Miraflores is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,593 in Miraflores. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Miraflores. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Miraflores – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Miraflores at $1,062. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miraflores it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Miraflores makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.