Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Armuelles Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Armuelles

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,056

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

$1.86 COP 5,745

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,487

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,899

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,436

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,401

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,237

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,911

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,886

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,635

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,090

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,179

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,654

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,707

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,953

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,265

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,454

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,840

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,692

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,179

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

$27.5K COP 84.7M

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

$36.5K COP 112.6M

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

$169 COP 520.1K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Armuelles: September 8, 2026

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 Puerto Armuelles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Armuelles – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Armuelles. 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.