Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roseau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roseau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Roseau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,117 in Roseau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,989 in Roseau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Roseau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Roseau is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$7.23 EC$19.51

11.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$54.7 EC$148

-11.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$6.46 EC$17.44

51.24%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.20 EC$11.33

-30.71%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.50 EC$6.75

-22.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$2.28 EC$6.16

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.80 EC$4.86

71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.53 EC$6.82

126.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$3.28 EC$8.87

-58.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.06 EC$5.56

16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.23 EC$3.33

38.21%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$5.76 EC$15.55

-50.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$2.36 EC$6.37

321.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$11.25 EC$30.38

-4.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$13.35 EC$36.04

10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.27 EC$16.94

-34.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.39 EC$6.46

-34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$4.58 EC$12.36

-53.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$5.22 EC$14.09

-57.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$3.52 EC$9.49

-41.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$3.01 EC$8.11

-50.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.14 EC$5.79

-44.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$2.57 EC$6.94

-54.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.55 EC$20.38

-48.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$10.93 EC$29.51

32.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.67 EC$7.20

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$3.07 EC$8.30

-7.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.86 EC$5.03

-37.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$53.1 EC$143

46.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$5.41 EC$14.60

-76.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$2.88 EC$7.79

-27.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$10.15 EC$27.41

-15.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.45 EC$3.91

-10.34%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$35.0K EC$94.5K

-21.00%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$29.4K EC$79.4K

20.71%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$141 EC$380

25.19%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$43.93 EC$119

-69.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$71.1 EC$192

-57.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$45.73 EC$123

-2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$22.64 EC$61.1

-24.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.34 EC$22.53

-25.66%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$130 EC$351

510.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$4,517 EC$12.2K

99.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$56.1 EC$151

52.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$37.04 EC$100

57.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$73.8 EC$199

84.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$90.9 EC$246

13.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$280 EC$757

278.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$207 EC$559

228.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$892 EC$2,409

125.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$640 EC$1,727

82.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$122 EC$328

3279.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$57.8 EC$156

2846.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$487 EC$1,316

36.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.6

43.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Roseau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $280 in Roseau. 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 37% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Roseau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $372 – making Medellin 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 Roseau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,868 in Roseau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roseau, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $55.0 in Roseau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,245 in Roseau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roseau, where all-in costs run around $1,245, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Roseau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roseau – 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 Roseau. 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.