Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Secunda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Secunda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,096 in Secunda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Secunda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,288 in Secunda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Secunda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Secunda is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.24 R 101

28.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$30.91 R 502

54.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$5.71 R 92.8

73.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.30 R 37.40

36.09%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.85 R 13.84

124.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.51 R 8.34

196.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.09 R 17.65

186.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.36 R 22.06

322.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.21 R 19.71

19.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.94 R 15.31

164.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.85 R 29.98

-4.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.60 R 42.19

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.33 R 135

20.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.15 R 83.7

96.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.70 R 125

85.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.92 R 31.20

115.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.67 R 27.05

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.87 R 30.38

20.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.67 R 27.12

34.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.22 R 19.89

67.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.20 R 19.52

28.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.21 R 19.65

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.33 R 21.54

-1.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.44 R 55.9

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.41 R 87.9

158.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.56 R 25.37

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.03 R 32.93

41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.58 R 25.62

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.32 R 5.24

309.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.83 R 13.44

163.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$14.98 R 243

-41.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.55 R 25.13

-11.61%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.1K R 587.2K

-22.98%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$35.1K R 570.1K

1.94%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$154 R 2,505

15.01%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$38.08 R 619

-63.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$38.94 R 633

-23.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$33.63 R 546

33.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$12.75 R 207

34.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.72 R 125

-13.86%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$95.1 R 1,544

755.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$5,765 R 93.7K

59.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$56.0 R 910

59.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$33.26 R 540

77.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$94.8 R 1,540

45.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$85.8 R 1,394

19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$433 R 7,036

145.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$373 R 6,061

77.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$811 R 13.2K

132.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$781 R 12.7K

31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$898 R 14.6K

366.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$699 R 11.4K

139.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$1,476 R 24.0K

-54.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.34

-3.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Secunda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $433 in Secunda. 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 118% higher in Secunda, 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 $31.00 in Secunda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $198 – making Secunda 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 Secunda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,644 in Secunda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Secunda, 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 $31.00 in Secunda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Secunda, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Secunda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Secunda – 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 Secunda. 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.