Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rumia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rumia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,534 in Rumia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,182 in Rumia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,831 in Rumia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Rumia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Rumia sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Rumia by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$10.59 zł 39.43

-24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$31.66 zł 118

52.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$7.07 zł 26.34

33.24%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$3.85 zł 14.36

-23.64%

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

$1.86 COP 5,754

$2.17 zł 8.09

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$1.72 zł 6.39

-15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$3.75 zł 13.96

-14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.95 zł 14.71

44.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$1.04 zł 3.87

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$1.31 zł 4.89

83.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$1.43 zł 5.31

18.88%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$3.80 zł 14.14

-23.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

$9.12 zł 33.99

10.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$6.60 zł 24.58

51.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$12.29 zł 45.78

15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.12 zł 4.18

255.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$1.76 zł 6.56

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$1.67 zł 6.22

28.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$2.73 zł 10.15

-15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$0.92 zł 3.41

117.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$1.05 zł 3.92

43.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

$1.33 zł 4.95

-9.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$1.09 zł 4.07

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.50 zł 20.47

-30.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$6.78 zł 25.27

106.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$1.17 zł 4.37

46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$1.54 zł 5.73

77.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

$1.35 zł 5.02

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

$33.30 zł 124

133.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

$2.19 zł 8.15

-40.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

$0.83 zł 3.08

161.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

$10.77 zł 40.10

-23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$1.73 zł 6.46

-21.39%

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

$27.5K COP 84.8M

$31.9K zł 118.7K

-13.82%

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

$36.5K COP 112.8M

$28.9K zł 107.5K

26.58%

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

$169 COP 521.0K

$293 zł 1,092

-42.45%

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

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$9.24 zł 34.42

46.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$17.98 zł 67.0

57.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

$40.19 zł 150

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

$23.10 zł 86.1

-25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.58 zł 28.24

-12.27%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$353 zł 1,317

127.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

$8,076 zł 30.1K

13.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

$86.3 zł 321

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

$42.57 zł 159

39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

$94.4 zł 352

47.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

$106 zł 394

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$644 zł 2,398

66.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$520 zł 1,936

25.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,055 zł 3,929

82.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$873 zł 3,253

20.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,000 zł 11.2K

37.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,331 zł 8,682

-27.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,537 zł 5,724

-57.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.79

61.12%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rumia: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $644 in Rumia. 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 135% higher in Rumia, 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 $32.00 in Rumia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $224 – making Rumia 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 Rumia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,301 in Rumia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rumia, 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 $32.00 in Rumia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,534 in Rumia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rumia, where all-in costs run around $1,534, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Rumia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rumia – 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 Rumia. 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.