Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oranjestad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oranjestad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,926 in Oranjestad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $3,152 in Oranjestad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $4,378 in Oranjestad, rent included.

Medellin is about 47% cheaper than Oranjestad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Oranjestad is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$19.22 AWG 34.40

-68.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$78.5 AWG 141

-58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$10.18 AWG 18.22

-27.11%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.66 AWG 6.55

-54.92%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.46 AWG 2.62

-26.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.59 AWG 2.84

-52.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.06 AWG 5.48

-43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.09 AWG 7.33

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.88 AWG 3.36

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.89 AWG 5.18

-54.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.83 AWG 5.07

-52.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$5.19 AWG 9.28

-57.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$12.31 AWG 22.03

-64.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$9.21 AWG 16.48

-38.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$12.35 AWG 22.11

-31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$4.73 AWG 8.46

-50.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.19 AWG 3.93

-49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$5.12 AWG 9.16

-70.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$3.56 AWG 6.37

-61.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.19 AWG 3.91

-47.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.98 AWG 3.54

-40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.62 AWG 4.69

-67.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.54 AWG 2.75

-44.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$9.89 AWG 17.69

-77.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.74 AWG 17.43

19.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.87 AWG 6.92

-68.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$4.46 AWG 7.98

-44.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$2.15 AWG 3.85

-63.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$29.43 AWG 52.7

38.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$17.18 AWG 30.75

-91.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$3.98 AWG 7.12

-51.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$25.09 AWG 44.89

-69.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.47 AWG 2.63

-31.29%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$25.9K AWG 46.3K

-31.73%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.6K AWG 62.0K

-23.59%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$257 AWG 459

-68.41%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$48.91 AWG 87.5

-80.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$105 AWG 188

-77.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$104 AWG 186

-75.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$26.05 AWG 46.62

-28.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$12.03 AWG 21.53

-66.00%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$246 AWG 441

27.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$8,620 AWG 15.4K

-30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$59.9 AWG 107

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$49.73 AWG 89.0

-35.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$108 AWG 193

-6.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$104 AWG 186

0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$673 AWG 1,205

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$579 AWG 1,035

-36.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,435 AWG 2,568

-42.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,358 AWG 2,431

-46.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,225 AWG 3,982

34.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,709 AWG 3,059

-23.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,700 AWG 3,042

-67.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.25

114.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $673 in Oranjestad. 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 209% higher in Oranjestad, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $79.0 in Oranjestad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $362 – 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 Oranjestad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oranjestad is pricier by about 87%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,889 in Oranjestad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $79.0 in Oranjestad. 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 $1,926 in Oranjestad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Oranjestad at $1,926. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oranjestad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oranjestad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.