Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Onesti Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Onesti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,115 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,265 in Onesti, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Onesti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Onesti is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$11.27 RON 51.6

-28.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$43.42 RON 199

10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.53 RON 34.51

31.34%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.96 RON 13.56

5.74%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.22 RON 10.18

-13.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.83 RON 8.38

-17.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.37 RON 15.45

-7.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$4.05 RON 18.56

41.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.10 RON 5.04

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.37 RON 6.28

81.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.05 RON 9.41

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.25 RON 14.91

-8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.71 RON 35.31

30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.49 RON 29.74

55.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$10.17 RON 46.59

40.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.09 RON 4.98

279.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.56 RON 7.16

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.81 RON 8.30

24.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.21 RON 10.12

1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.94 RON 4.32

117.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.97 RON 4.45

58.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.23 RON 5.64

-4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.65 RON 2.96

101.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.75 RON 30.92

-42.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.44 RON 24.92

157.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.37 RON 6.27

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.15 RON 9.86

33.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.79 RON 3.60

54.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$23.04 RON 106

249.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.86 RON 3.95

52.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.92 RON 4.23

138.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$8.64 RON 39.56

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.56 RON 7.15

-12.18%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$29.7K RON 136.1K

-6.30%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$29.3K RON 134.1K

22.19%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$190 RON 868

-6.46%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.78 RON 35.64

78.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$9.08 RON 41.59

227.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$40.46 RON 185

10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.43 RON 98.2

-20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$9.12 RON 41.80

-27.08%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$411 RON 1,882

97.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,467 RON 34.2K

23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$39.66 RON 182

125.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$40.29 RON 185

46.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$96.8 RON 444

42.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$94.5 RON 433

8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$403 RON 1,845

163.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$299 RON 1,368

121.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$624 RON 2,857

202.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$477 RON 2,185

115.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,914 RON 8,767

118.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,400 RON 6,413

19.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$663 RON 3,039

2.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.18

52.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $403 in Onesti. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Onesti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $205 – making Onesti 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,672 in Onesti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Onesti, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Onesti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,115 in Onesti. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onesti, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Onesti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Onesti – 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 Onesti. 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.