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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,150 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,803 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,456 in Side, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Side, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Side is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.16 ₺392

-3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$31.22 ₺1,499

42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$10.08 ₺484

-7.84%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.03 ₺145

-4.29%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$2.06 ₺98.9

-12.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.38 ₺18.05

307.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.42 ₺164

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$5.18 ₺249

13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.94 ₺45.14

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.90 ₺42.97

172.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.05 ₺98.5

-26.34%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.81 ₺86.8

53.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.97 ₺479

-9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$5.53 ₺265

92.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$24.89 ₺1,194

-41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.35 ₺64.6

194.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.27 ₺109

-39.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.23 ₺59.1

86.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.34 ₺64.4

50.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.65 ₺31.35

221.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.44 ₺20.90

270.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.80 ₺86.2

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.64 ₺30.58

95.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.54 ₺122

58.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$13.85 ₺665

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.76 ₺84.4

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.98 ₺143

0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.71 ₺33.87

66.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$30.92 ₺1,484

158.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.40 ₺67.1

15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.02 ₺48.98

108.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.31 ₺255

60.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.29 ₺61.9

4.65%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$44.3K ₺2.1M

-36.06%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$38.9K ₺1.9M

-8.16%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$60.2 ₺2,888

151.55%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$9.34 ₺448

40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$18.72 ₺899

72.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$52.7 ₺2,528

-12.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$8.18 ₺393

-21.39%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$635 ₺30.5K

31.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$12.1K ₺580.4K

-26.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$100 ₺4,815

-10.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$58.1 ₺2,787

-4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$154 ₺7,372

-11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$118 ₺5,670

-7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$438 ₺21.0K

117.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$314 ₺15.1K

112.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$741 ₺35.6K

172.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$575 ₺27.6K

99.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,280 ₺61.4K

188.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,009 ₺48.4K

57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

39.08

-73.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Side: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $438 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Side. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $258 – making Side 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,725 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Side, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $31.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $1,150 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 Side, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Side – 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 Side. 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.