Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polomolok Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Polomolok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $630 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,348 in Polomolok, rent included.

Medellin costs about 160% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Polomolok is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$1.63 ₱102

393.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.9K

$16.66 ₱1,039

189.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$2.12 ₱133

344.34%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,120

$2.17 ₱135

35.48%

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

$1.86 COP 5,786

$0.39 ₱24.05

376.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,519

$0.69 ₱42.86

111.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,969

$1.07 ₱66.7

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$1.90 ₱118

200.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,467

$1.64 ₱102

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,454

$0.92 ₱57.2

160.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,274

$0.67 ₱41.60

153.73%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,975

$1.96 ₱123

47.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$6.84 ₱426

47.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$2.64 ₱165

277.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$5.67 ₱353

150.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.60 ₱162

53.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,921

$0.59 ₱36.62

167.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,682

$2.25 ₱140

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,141

$0.77 ₱48.03

198.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,223

$1.21 ₱75.8

65.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,687

$2.85 ₱178

-47.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,734

$0.77 ₱47.79

55.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,981

$0.67 ₱41.65

91.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$2.43 ₱151

58.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$7.17 ₱447

95.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,302

$1.02 ₱63.5

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,515

$1.56 ₱97.3

75.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,868

$0.25 ₱15.52

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.9K

$11.26 ₱702

591.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,052

$0.82 ₱51.3

59.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,739

$0.25 ₱15.67

768.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$1.90 ₱118

336.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,209

$0.86 ₱53.6

58.14%

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

$27.5K COP 85.3M

$15.8K ₱983.7K

74.15%

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

$36.5K COP 113.4M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

105.90%

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

$169 COP 523.8K

$52.4 ₱3,267

222.11%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$19.19 ₱1,197

-29.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.9K

$26.81 ₱1,672

5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.9K

$32.56 ₱2,030

40.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$4.95 ₱309

247.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$3.96 ₱247

67.93%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$108 ₱6,717

645.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$1,362 ₱84.9K

574.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.2K

$32.47 ₱2,025

169.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.3K

$19.27 ₱1,202

208.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.3K

$63.1 ₱3,933

120.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.8K

$63.3 ₱3,947

61.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$273 ₱17.0K

292.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$174 ₱10.9K

274.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$493 ₱30.7K

290.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$354 ₱22.1K

195.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$2,590 ₱161.5K

59.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$1,042 ₱65.0K

62.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$236 ₱14.7K

177.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $273 in Polomolok. 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 178% higher in Medellin, 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 $17.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $159 – making Polomolok 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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 160%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $945 in Polomolok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polomolok, 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 $17.00 in Polomolok. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $630 in Polomolok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Polomolok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polomolok – 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 Polomolok. 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.