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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,343 in Oranjestad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,189 in Oranjestad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,035 in Oranjestad, rent included.

Medellin is about 28% cheaper than Oranjestad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Oranjestad sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Oranjestad by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$21.82 AWG 39.05

-63.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$79.9 AWG 143

-40.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.07 AWG 18.02

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.29 AWG 7.67

-27.04%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.41 AWG 2.52

35.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.59 AWG 2.84

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.08 AWG 5.52

1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.02 AWG 7.19

43.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.81 AWG 3.24

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.03 AWG 5.41

-17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-39.38%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.46 AWG 9.77

-45.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.64 AWG 22.62

-20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.49 AWG 16.98

6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.01 AWG 21.49

19.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.76 AWG 8.52

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.20 AWG 3.94

-26.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.94 AWG 8.84

-54.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.41 AWG 6.11

-34.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.20 AWG 3.93

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.96 AWG 3.51

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.58 AWG 4.62

-54.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.56 AWG 2.80

-16.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.85 AWG 17.62

-60.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.84 AWG 17.61

42.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.89 AWG 6.96

-55.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.36 AWG 7.80

-34.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.14 AWG 3.83

-42.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.96 AWG 53.6

168.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$17.19 AWG 30.76

-92.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.83 AWG 6.86

-42.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$24.50 AWG 43.84

-64.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.04 AWG 3.64

-32.84%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$26.5K AWG 47.4K

5.05%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

-0.47%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$250 AWG 448

-29.15%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$48.21 AWG 86.3

-71.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$107 AWG 191

-72.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$62.5 AWG 112

-28.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$25.95 AWG 46.43

-34.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$11.87 AWG 21.24

-43.98%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$251 AWG 449

224.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

7.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$60.9 AWG 109

46.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$50.1 AWG 89.7

17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$111 AWG 198

24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$102 AWG 182

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$935 AWG 1,673

13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$936 AWG 1,676

-29.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,698 AWG 4,828

-30.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$3,088 AWG 5,526

-66.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,288 AWG 4,094

82.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,710 AWG 3,060

-2.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,708 AWG 3,056

-60.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.25

75.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $935 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 152% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $80.0 in Oranjestad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $365 – 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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $3,515 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $80.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $2,343 in Oranjestad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Oranjestad at $2,343. 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.