Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paradise Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paradise

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,666 in Paradise, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,164 in Paradise, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,663 in Paradise, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Paradise, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Paradise sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Paradise by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.84 GYD 2,046

-18.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$64.2 GYD 13.4K

-25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.54 GYD 1,775

15.81%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.50 GYD 935

-30.44%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.22 GYD 254

56.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.69 GYD 143

118.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.21 GYD 459

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.43 GYD 505

136.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.58 GYD 745

-59.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.86 GYD 387

33.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.84 GYD 383

-3.80%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.39 GYD 705

-12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.88 GYD 2,053

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.76 GYD 1,198

75.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.17 GYD 1,906

55.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.03 GYD 838

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.22 GYD 461

-27.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.39 GYD 497

-5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.54 GYD 528

-11.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.38 GYD 286

47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.99 GYD 413

-22.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.35 GYD 282

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.68 GYD 349

-22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.18 GYD 453

78.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.97 GYD 2,281

27.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.67 GYD 347

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.41 GYD 501

19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.58 GYD 121

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$29.37 GYD 6,106

174.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.45 GYD 509

-46.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.40 GYD 706

-35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.73 GYD 2,024

-10.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.08 GYD 224

26.85%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$15.7K GYD 3.3M

77.69%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$18.2K GYD 3.8M

96.44%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$77.1 GYD 16.0K

130.08%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$27.63 GYD 5,744

-49.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$68.9 GYD 14.3K

-56.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$50.9 GYD 10.6K

-11.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.20 GYD 1,288

7.26%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$905 GYD 188.1K

-10.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$20.0K GYD 4.2M

-54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$32.18 GYD 6,689

178.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$46.46 GYD 9,658

26.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$61.6 GYD 12.8K

124.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$63.2 GYD 13.1K

61.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$299 GYD 62.1K

255.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$801 GYD 166.6K

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,180 GYD 245.4K

59.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$662 GYD 137.6K

55.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,411 GYD 709.2K

22.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$470 GYD 97.6K

256.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$716 GYD 148.8K

-5.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.11

53.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Paradise: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $299 in Paradise. 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 6% higher in Paradise, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $64.0 in Paradise. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $286 in Paradise – so Paradise 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 Paradise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,499 in Paradise. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paradise, 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 $64.0 in Paradise. 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 $1,666 in Paradise. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Paradise, where all-in costs run around $1,666, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Paradise it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paradise – 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 Paradise. 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.