Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pascani Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pascani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,100 in Pascani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,667 in Pascani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,235 in Pascani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Pascani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pascani is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$8.91 RON 40.84

-9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$44.89 RON 206

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.68 RON 35.16

28.78%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.24 RON 10.25

39.73%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.73 RON 7.94

10.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.09 RON 5.01

38.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.25 RON 10.33

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.62 RON 12.01

119.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.31 RON 6.00

9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.10 RON 5.02

126.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.81 RON 8.30

-2.21%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.61 RON 16.52

-18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.45 RON 43.29

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.35 RON 33.67

37.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.27 RON 60.8

7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.55 RON 7.12

167.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.63 RON 7.47

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.67 RON 7.63

34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.79 RON 12.78

-19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.85 RON 3.91

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.94 RON 4.32

63.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.94 RON 4.31

24.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.81 RON 3.73

61.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.41 RON 29.35

-39.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.82 RON 35.83

79.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.32 RON 6.04

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.91 RON 8.73

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.74 RON 3.39

64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$22.96 RON 105

250.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.67 RON 3.09

95.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.70 RON 3.22

212.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.93 RON 31.74

25.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.53 RON 7.00

-10.46%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$29.4K RON 134.5K

-5.20%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.8K RON 127.5K

28.55%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$190 RON 870

-6.68%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$6.76 RON 30.96

105.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$9.66 RON 44.23

207.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$39.35 RON 180

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.28 RON 97.5

-19.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$10.05 RON 46.04

-33.83%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$457 RON 2,094

77.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,133 RON 32.7K

28.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$53.7 RON 246

66.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$37.16 RON 170

58.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$77.8 RON 356

77.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$93.0 RON 426

9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$408 RON 1,871

160.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$304 RON 1,393

118.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$639 RON 2,929

195.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$472 RON 2,164

117.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,901 RON 8,710

120.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,412 RON 6,469

18.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$775 RON 3,551

-12.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.2

51.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pascani: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $408 in Pascani. 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 14% higher in Pascani, 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 $45.00 in Pascani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $233 – making Pascani 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 Pascani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,650 in Pascani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pascani, 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 $45.00 in Pascani. 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 $1,100 in Pascani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pascani, where all-in costs run around $1,100, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Pascani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pascani – 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 Pascani. 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.