Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puertollano Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puertollano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $973 in Puertollano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,397 in Puertollano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,821 in Puertollano, rent included.

Medellin costs about 69% more than Puertollano, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Puertollano is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04 COP 24.8K
$13.80 €11.90
-41.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29 COP 148.6K
$25.75 €22.20
87.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 COP 29.0K
$9.12 €7.86
3.29%
Cappuccino
$2.94 COP 9,040
$1.70 €1.46
72.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 COP 5,735
$1.13 €0.98
64.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,479
$1.17 €1.01
24.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 COP 9,882
$2.28 €1.97
40.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 COP 17.6K
$2.33 €2.01
145.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,428
$1.27 €1.10
13.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 COP 7,389
$1.45 €1.25
65.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,228
$1.86 €1.61
-8.60%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 8,896
$3.05 €2.63
-5.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 COP 30.9K
$14.82 €12.78
-32.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 COP 30.7K
$5.39 €4.64
84.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.20 COP 43.7K
$11.59 €9.99
22.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 COP 12.3K
$2.05 €1.77
94.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 COP 4,878
$2.01 €1.73
-21.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 COP 6,624
$1.75 €1.51
22.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 COP 7,078
$2.25 €1.94
2.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 COP 6,169
$1.04 €0.90
92.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 COP 4,646
$2.24 €1.93
-32.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 COP 3,701
$1.32 €1.14
-9.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 COP 3,946
$0.68 €0.59
88.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84 COP 11.8K
$6.68 €5.76
-42.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.1K
$4.18 €3.61
235.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 COP 5,256
$1.22 €1.05
40.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 COP 8,440
$1.15 €0.99
138.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 COP 3,834
$1.07 €0.92
16.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.9 COP 239.7K
$14.09 €12.14
452.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,016
$1.89 €1.63
-30.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 COP 6,680
$1.27 €1.10
70.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.29 COP 25.5K
$23.21 €20.01
-64.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,172
$1.65 €1.43
-17.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K COP 84.5M
$23.0K €19.8K
19.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K COP 112.4M
$30.1K €25.9K
21.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 COP 519.2K
$74.8 €64.4
125.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 COP 41.8K
$8.48 €7.31
60.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32 COP 87.2K
$26.22 €22.60
8.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.71 COP 140.7K
$39.87 €34.37
14.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22 COP 53.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.5K
$4.75 €4.09
40.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$803 COP 2.5M
$829 €715
-3.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,190 COP 28.3M
$10.7K €9,216
-14.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4 COP 268.8K
$51.5 €44.43
69.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4 COP 182.7K
$40.69 €35.08
45.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 427.5K
$47.03 €40.54
195.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 314.0K
$28.56 €24.62
257.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,071 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$653 COP 2.0M
$289 €249
126.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,925 COP 5.9M
$693 €597
177.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 COP 3.2M
$354 €305
196.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,123 COP 12.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,697 COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Puertollano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$655 COP 2.0M
$1,156 €996
-43.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.31
230.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puertollano: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 76% higher in Puertollano, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Puertollano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $231 – making Puertollano 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 Puertollano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Puertollano cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,460 in Puertollano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Puertollano?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Puertollano. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Puertollano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $973 in Puertollano. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Puertollano?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puertollano, where all-in costs run around $973, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Puertollano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Puertollano more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Puertollano – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Puertollano?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Puertollano. 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.

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