Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $805 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,640 in Popayan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.98 COP 14.2K

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$24.01 COP 85.6K

36.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.18 COP 25.6K

-1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.51 COP 5,397

13.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.86 COP 3,068

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.58 COP 2,065

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.15 COP 4,094

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.12 COP 7,560

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.05 COP 3,750

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.25 COP 4,439

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.18 COP 4,191

16.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.21 COP 7,873

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.54 COP 16.2K

-3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.18 COP 18.5K

8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.14 COP 25.5K

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.43 COP 8,663

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.07 COP 3,811

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.36 COP 4,834

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.85 COP 3,016

62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.11 COP 3,973

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.12 COP 4,002

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.88 COP 3,143

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.64 COP 2,275

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.31 COP 8,250

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.38 COP 37.0K

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.13 COP 4,039

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.80 COP 6,426

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.69 COP 2,457

24.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$29.66 COP 105.7K

39.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.46 COP 5,205

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.71 COP 6,094

14.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.15 COP 21.9K

25.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.99 COP 3,537

-4.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$17.9K COP 63.7M

1.39%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.5K COP 91.1M

3.69%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$83.5 COP 297.7K

-1.51%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.86 COP 31.6K

7.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.84 COP 81.4K

6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.53 COP 83.9K

10.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$241 COP 859.6K

28.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,042 COP 21.5M

-1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$58.4 COP 208.0K

0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$32.94 COP 117.4K

-1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$82.9 COP 295.5K

23.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$72.8 COP 259.4K

49.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$284 COP 1.0M

67.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$242 COP 862.4K

56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$525 COP 1.9M

59.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$423 COP 1.5M

71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,434 COP 5.1M

94.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,260 COP 4.5M

-3.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.18

1.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $284 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $172 – making Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,207 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, 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 $24.00 in Popayan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $805 in Popayan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $805, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popayan – 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 Popayan. 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.