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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Miraflores, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,194 in Miraflores, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,307 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 24% lower, Miraflores 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.12 PEN 14.02

44.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.74 PEN 115

-1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.94 PEN 16.78

46.36%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.54 PEN 8.62

-35.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.93 PEN 3.15

17.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.60 PEN 2.04

21.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.27 PEN 7.72

-23.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.85 PEN 13.10

-16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.29 PEN 4.38

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.12 PEN 3.81

15.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.31 PEN 4.45

0.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.91 PEN 9.90

-21.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.06 PEN 27.41

-46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.62 PEN 19.12

4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.97 PEN 30.49

-4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.02 PEN 6.87

11.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.07 PEN 3.64

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.10 PEN 3.75

38.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.09 PEN 3.70

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.02 PEN 3.48

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.87 PEN 2.96

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.80 PEN 2.73

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 PEN 1.96

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.43 PEN 18.46

-58.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.89 PEN 30.22

24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.72 PEN 5.84

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.82 PEN 9.59

-15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.27 PEN 0.90

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.39 PEN 11.52

-58.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.21 PEN 7.52

-14.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.26 PEN 28.07

-6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.24 PEN 4.23

-18.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.5K PEN 66.1K

-9.65%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

6.69%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$55.0 PEN 187

52.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.52 PEN 28.96

10.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$23.49 PEN 79.9

2.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.89 PEN 115

-25.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.80 PEN 23.10

-39.71%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$215 PEN 731

44.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,021 PEN 27.3K

-25.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.4 PEN 171

15.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.50 PEN 124

-10.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$92.1 PEN 313

8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$84.9 PEN 289

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$654 PEN 2,223

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$502 PEN 1,706

-24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,606 PEN 5,460

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,546 PEN 8,656

11.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Miraflores: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $654 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 $34.00 in Miraflores. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $194 – 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 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,621 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 $34.00 in Miraflores. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Miraflores, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Miraflores at $1,080. 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.