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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $982 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,458 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,934 in Onesti, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Onesti, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Onesti are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Onesti 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.76 RON 30.44

-11.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$36.45 RON 164

-9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$6.40 RON 28.81

15.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.88 RON 8.45

-12.23%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.01 RON 9.07

-46.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.67 RON 7.53

-54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.09 RON 9.41

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.98 RON 13.40

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.13 RON 5.11

-7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.15 RON 5.16

13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.96 RON 8.84

-31.63%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.85 RON 12.84

-23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.29 RON 37.32

-46.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.72 RON 30.27

-15.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$11.45 RON 51.6

-25.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.96 RON 4.33

143.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.57 RON 7.09

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.52 RON 6.85

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.89 RON 8.50

-27.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.79 RON 3.55

45.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.09 RON 4.93

8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.01 RON 4.54

-16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.64 RON 2.87

34.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$5.56 RON 25.03

-59.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$5.50 RON 24.77

110.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.01 RON 4.53

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.49 RON 6.69

66.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.71 RON 3.19

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$19.87 RON 89.5

105.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.17 RON 5.26

25.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.62 RON 2.79

209.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$6.81 RON 30.65

14.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.55 RON 6.99

-34.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$27.5K RON 123.7K

-35.71%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$25.4K RON 114.6K

3.96%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$159 RON 714

-48.87%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$7.91 RON 35.64

19.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$9.65 RON 43.48

147.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$41.15 RON 185

-36.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$19.05 RON 85.8

-1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$6.97 RON 31.38

-41.32%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$299 RON 1,348

5.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$9,984 RON 45.0K

-39.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$37.86 RON 171

57.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$29.84 RON 134

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$72.7 RON 327

39.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$73.6 RON 332

42.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$381 RON 1,714

27.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$295 RON 1,327

23.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$584 RON 2,632

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$432 RON 1,943

69.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,894 RON 8,529

57.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,386 RON 6,241

-5.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$659 RON 2,966

-16.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.11

88.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Onesti: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $381 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 20% higher in Onesti, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Onesti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $200 – 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,473 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $982 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 $982, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.