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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $983 in Onesti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,459 in Onesti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,935 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 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.09 RON 30.89

-16.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.66 RON 160

-10.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.50 RON 28.34

10.77%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.92 RON 8.39

-11.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.99 RON 8.69

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.60 RON 6.97

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.11 RON 9.21

-20.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.01 RON 13.14

2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.13 RON 4.91

-6.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.18 RON 5.15

5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.99 RON 8.67

-30.15%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.92 RON 12.72

-22.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.87 RON 34.31

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.82 RON 29.75

-14.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.16 RON 48.65

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.97 RON 4.23

130.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.57 RON 6.82

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.44 RON 6.28

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.87 RON 8.17

-26.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.84 RON 3.65

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.06 RON 4.63

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.05 RON 4.57

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.65 RON 2.82

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.69 RON 24.82

-59.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.78 RON 25.19

92.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.95 RON 4.14

25.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.47 RON 6.40

61.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.70 RON 3.07

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$19.91 RON 86.8

106.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.17 RON 5.10

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.60 RON 2.61

218.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.77 RON 29.52

18.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.62 RON 7.04

-41.98%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.4K RON 123.7K

-36.84%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.4K RON 110.6K

5.65%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$161 RON 703

-47.94%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.00 RON 34.90

20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$9.65 RON 42.07

150.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.75 RON 182

-38.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$19.21 RON 83.7

-0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.78 RON 29.55

-42.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$305 RON 1,332

0.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,768 RON 42.6K

-39.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$37.53 RON 164

54.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$30.43 RON 133

4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$72.9 RON 318

36.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$74.1 RON 323

44.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$387 RON 1,688

25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$292 RON 1,273

26.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$597 RON 2,602

38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$431 RON 1,879

66.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,781 RON 7,764

64.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,374 RON 5,989

2.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$687 RON 2,993

-20.54%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Onesti: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $387 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 26% 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 $37.00 in Onesti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $199 – 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,475 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 $37.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $983 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 $983, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.