Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Side Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Side

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,067 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,631 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,195 in Side, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Side, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Side are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Side 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.65 ₺345

-22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$22.90 ₺1,034

43.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.24 ₺282

15.38%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.70 ₺122

-37.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.75 ₺78.9

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.47 ₺21.19

53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.08 ₺139

-45.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.04 ₺182

-23.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.83 ₺37.66

27.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.94 ₺42.48

32.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.93 ₺41.77

49.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.77 ₺80.1

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.06 ₺364

-46.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.52 ₺249

5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$16.25 ₺734

-45.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.00 ₺45.17

124.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.06 ₺93.1

-47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.74 ₺33.46

106.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.11 ₺49.91

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.55 ₺24.96

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.42 ₺19.00

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.31 ₺59.3

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.32 ₺14.37

184.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.13 ₺96.1

9.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.86 ₺400

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.65 ₺74.4

-27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.14 ₺96.7

10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.66 ₺29.81

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.15 ₺1,361

36.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.08 ₺48.90

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.64 ₺29.05

198.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$7.43 ₺336

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.17 ₺53.0

-19.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$40.2K ₺1.8M

-55.43%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$42.5K ₺1.9M

-36.92%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$48.95 ₺2,209

71.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.66 ₺346

25.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$6.31 ₺285

282.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$42.58 ₺1,922

-39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.42 ₺290

-38.94%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$600 ₺27.1K

-48.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,975 ₺405.2K

-34.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$76.0 ₺3,431

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.74 ₺2,020

-28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$161 ₺7,266

-37.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$109 ₺4,915

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$508 ₺22.9K

-4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$399 ₺18.0K

-7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$903 ₺40.8K

-8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$710 ₺32.1K

0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,348 ₺60.8K

117.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$826 ₺37.3K

70.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Side: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $508 in Side. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Side. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Side – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Side is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,601 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $23.00 in Side. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,067 in Side. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Side at $1,067. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Side it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Side makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.