Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $762 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,165 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,567 in Moca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Moca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Moca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.71 DOP 508

-31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$51.2 DOP 2,984

-35.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.58 DOP 442

-6.46%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.71 DOP 158

-36.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.03 DOP 60.1

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.77 DOP 45.06

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.62 DOP 153

-35.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.03 DOP 293

-38.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.07 DOP 62.6

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.32 DOP 77.1

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.56 DOP 90.9

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.34 DOP 78.3

63.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.62 DOP 386

-33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.46 DOP 377

-12.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.16 DOP 651

-20.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.18 DOP 185

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.58 DOP 33.55

82.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.03 DOP 177

-50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.91 DOP 53.3

51.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.57 DOP 150

-55.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.85 DOP 108

-37.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.13 DOP 65.9

-21.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.97 DOP 56.4

-13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.78 DOP 337

-60.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.62 DOP 620

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.72 DOP 159

-55.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.16 DOP 184

-21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.47 DOP 202

-57.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.21 DOP 129

-11.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.08 DOP 355

27.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.32 DOP 76.9

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-32.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

-15.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$22.40 DOP 1,306

267.19%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$25.15 DOP 1,467

-62.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$25.63 DOP 1,495

-5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.05 DOP 1,286

17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.62 DOP 386

-40.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$271 DOP 15.8K

14.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

-25.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.0 DOP 3,441

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$51.7 DOP 3,014

-37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$97.1 DOP 5,664

5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$116 DOP 6,737

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$120 DOP 6,995

215.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.9

4.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Moca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Moca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $226 – 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 Moca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,143 in Moca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Moca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Moca, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Moca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moca – 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 Moca. 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.