Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Providenciales

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $3,530 in Providenciales, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Providenciales
🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands
$3,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Providenciales

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Providenciales actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $3,530 in Providenciales, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Providenciales $3,530

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $5,963 in Providenciales, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Providenciales $5,963

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $8,396 in Providenciales, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Providenciales $8,396

Medellin is about 54% cheaper than Providenciales, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Medellin and Providenciales sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Providenciales by 159%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$17.94 $17.94
-54.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$122 $122
-61.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$10.94 $10.94
-13.16%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$6.13 $6.13
-50.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$2.93 $2.93
-38.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$2.28 $2.28
-38.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$4.91 $4.91
-35.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$6.61 $6.61
-13.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$4.73 $4.73
-68.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$6.06 $6.06
-60.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$4.90 $4.90
-63.88%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$19.61 $19.61
-49.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$18.03 $18.03
-22.41%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$3.98 $3.98
-0.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$2.35 $2.35
-34.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$2.53 $2.53
-13.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$2.06 $2.06
-22.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$3.40 $3.40
-63.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$20.08 $20.08
-31.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$3.06 $3.06
-58.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$2.13 $2.13
-36.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$399 $399
-57.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$68.3 $68.3
-80.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$144 $144
-80.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$102 $102
-57.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$498 $498
59.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$12.8K $12.8K
-28.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$78.5 $78.5
7.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$60.1 $60.1
-3.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$152 $152
-11.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$101 $101
-2.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$1,746 $1,746
-30.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$1,920 $1,920
-66.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$4,709 $4,709
-56.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$4,953 $4,953
-79.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,163 $2,163
-11.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Providenciales
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$2,376 $2,376
-72.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7
56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Providenciales: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Providenciales
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Providenciales
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Providenciales
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Providenciales
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Providenciales
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Providenciales
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Providenciales
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,746 in Providenciales. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Providenciales are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $122 in Providenciales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $409 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇨 Providenciales
🕒 Local time
16:09 4:09 PM
17:09 5:09 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
23,769
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Providenciales 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Providenciales

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Providenciales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Providenciales?
Yes – Providenciales is pricier by about 115%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $5,295 in Providenciales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,746 in Providenciales.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Providenciales?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $122 in Providenciales. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Providenciales?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Providenciales, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Providenciales?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Providenciales at $3,530. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Providenciales it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Providenciales makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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