Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Punto Fijo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Punto Fijo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $651 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,521 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Punto Fijo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Punto Fijo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Punto Fijo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.12 VES 3,412

-2.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.55 VES 13.7K

33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.72 VES 4,861

-18.69%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.50 VES 835

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.08 VES 603

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.56 VES 312

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.33 VES 739

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.67 VES 1,486

14.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.70 VES 947

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.50 VES 837

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.08 VES 600

27.78%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.80 VES 1,560

-21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.17 VES 2,326

5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.78 VES 3,223

-2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.68 VES 3,167

56.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.10 VES 2,844

-54.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.79 VES 438

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.77 VES 430

94.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.97 VES 543

42.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.98 VES 547

17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.98 VES 545

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.78 VES 433

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.11 VES 618

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.95 VES 2,201

-42.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.23 VES 685

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.43 VES 1,355

1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.02 VES 570

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$60.0 VES 33.4K

-30.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$6.39 VES 3,561

-77.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.48 VES 1,940

-43.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.52 VES 292

82.69%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$30.5K VES 17.0M

-40.49%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.5K VES 13.7M

7.89%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$22.36 VES 12.5K

267.84%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$32.19 VES 17.9K

-24.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$20.82 VES 11.6K

24.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.89 VES 2,725

288.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.65 VES 4,260

-48.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$50.3 VES 28.0K

514.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$44.17 VES 24.6K

32.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$34.49 VES 19.2K

-6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$78.4 VES 43.7K

30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$99.6 VES 55.5K

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$100 VES 55.8K

375.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$81.3 VES 45.3K

365.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$350 VES 195.0K

139.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$224 VES 124.7K

223.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$204 VES 113.5K

151.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-44.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Punto Fijo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $100 in Punto Fijo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 151% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Punto Fijo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $177 – making Punto Fijo 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 Punto Fijo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $977 in Punto Fijo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Punto Fijo, 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 $25.00 in Punto Fijo. 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 $651 in Punto Fijo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Punto Fijo, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Punto Fijo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Punto Fijo – 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 Punto Fijo. 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.