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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $762 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,570 in Moca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Moca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Moca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.58 DOP 500

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$51.1 DOP 2,980

-36.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.19 DOP 420

2.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.75 DOP 160

-37.45%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 DOP 59.8

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.78 DOP 45.70

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.54 DOP 148

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.11 DOP 298

-37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.09 DOP 63.5

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.32 DOP 76.9

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.54 DOP 90.0

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.32 DOP 77.2

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.66 DOP 389

-34.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.21 DOP 362

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.87 DOP 634

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.30 DOP 192

-30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.57 DOP 33.41

94.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.90 DOP 169

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.92 DOP 53.4

46.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.43 DOP 142

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.92 DOP 112

-41.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.12 DOP 65.6

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.97 DOP 56.6

-6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$5.75 DOP 336

-59.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.68 DOP 622

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.65 DOP 154

-54.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.09 DOP 180

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.50 DOP 204

-59.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.18 DOP 127

-11.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.98 DOP 349

28.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 DOP 75.6

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-31.07%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

-17.06%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$22.14 DOP 1,291

265.00%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.73 DOP 1,500

-61.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$24.98 DOP 1,457

-3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.92 DOP 1,278

14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.60 DOP 385

-39.70%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$265 DOP 15.4K

15.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,135 DOP 474.4K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$61.2 DOP 3,567

-4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$51.5 DOP 3,000

-37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$97.9 DOP 5,709

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$114 DOP 6,619

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$118 DOP 6,904

217.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Moca: July 12, 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: $193 vs $223 – 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 35%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,142 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 16% 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 $1,031. 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.