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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $804 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,642 in Popayan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.82 COP 12.4K

61.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.83 COP 77.6K

36.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.29 COP 23.7K

0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.50 COP 4,898

14.67%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.88 COP 2,866

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.61 COP 1,977

26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.17 COP 3,798

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.21 COP 7,187

43.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.11 COP 3,602

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.29 COP 4,215

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.17 COP 3,823

19.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.22 COP 7,224

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.31 COP 14.0K

1.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.21 COP 17.0K

12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.16 COP 23.3K

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.52 COP 8,197

-9.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.11 COP 3,622

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.37 COP 4,449

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.91 COP 2,958

48.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.12 COP 3,647

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.13 COP 3,684

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.81 COP 2,645

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.65 COP 2,116

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.41 COP 7,859

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.06 COP 42.5K

-5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.12 COP 3,658

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.74 COP 5,659

43.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.71 COP 2,325

18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.45 COP 99.1K

33.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.47 COP 4,800

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.65 COP 5,373

16.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.19 COP 20.1K

23.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.00 COP 3,254

-1.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.6K COP 57.4M

2.26%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.7K COP 83.6M

3.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$83.9 COP 273.0K

-3.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.26 COP 30.1K

7.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.35 COP 72.8K

8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.29 COP 75.8K

7.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.87 COP 12.6K

2.84%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$241 COP 784.9K

26.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,914 COP 19.3M

2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.8 COP 194.6K

-2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$32.82 COP 106.8K

-1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.4 COP 274.7K

19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$72.3 COP 235.4K

49.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$281 COP 914.1K

69.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$237 COP 771.0K

58.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$519 COP 1.7M

62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$430 COP 1.4M

69.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,662 COP 5.4M

93.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,192 COP 3.9M

15.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $281 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: $193 vs $179 – 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 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $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 $1,031 in Medellin and $804 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 $804, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.