Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palma Soriano Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palma Soriano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,573 in Palma Soriano, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,875 in Palma Soriano, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,176 in Palma Soriano, rent included.

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Palma Soriano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Palma Soriano is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.96 CUP 119

24.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.89 CUP 597

30.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.89 CUP 117

50.10%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.15 CUP 75.6

-45.40%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.28 CUP 30.62

-17.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.93 CUP 22.33

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.98 CUP 71.4

-43.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.50 CUP 60.0

26.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.97 CUP 47.25

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.42 CUP 34.11

-8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.97 CUP 23.35

44.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.23 CUP 29.42

75.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.96 CUP 143

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.12 CUP 147

-3.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.17 CUP 268

-22.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.83 CUP 43.90

24.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.18 CUP 28.41

-5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.51 CUP 36.30

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.53 CUP 36.82

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.03 CUP 24.65

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.98 CUP 23.46

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.02 CUP 24.42

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.12 CUP 26.77

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-21.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.03 CUP 241

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.05 CUP 73.1

-60.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.04 CUP 49.00

22.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.24 CUP 5.71

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.34 CUP 728

33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.75 CUP 41.99

-18.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.37 CUP 8.77

418.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.14 CUP 315

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 CUP 27.98

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$66.4K CUP 1.6M

-72.83%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$45.9K CUP 1.1M

-41.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.1 CUP 1,299

49.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.97 CUP 239

-0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$148 CUP 3,552

-83.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$39.39 CUP 945

-36.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.97 CUP 239

92.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$0.98 CUP 23.44

306.12%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$100 CUP 2,404

204.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.8K CUP 283.0K

-48.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$65.8 CUP 1,579

-11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.05 CUP 841

-8.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$85.2 CUP 2,046

18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$109 CUP 2,616

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$867 CUP 20.8K

-45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$793 CUP 19.0K

-52.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$760 CUP 18.2K

11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$659 CUP 15.8K

10.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$325 CUP 7,807

888.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$323 CUP 7,758

324.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$40.12 CUP 963

1437.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.33

61.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Palma Soriano: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $867 in Palma Soriano. 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 1437% higher in Medellin, 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 $25.00 in Palma Soriano. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $217 in Palma Soriano – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Palma Soriano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Palma Soriano is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,360 in Palma Soriano. 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 $25.00 in Palma Soriano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,573 in Palma Soriano. 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 $1,031, than in Palma Soriano at $1,573. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palma Soriano 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Palma Soriano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.