Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Soledad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Soledad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $959 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,428 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,898 in Soledad, rent included.

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

Both Medellin and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Soledad 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.93 COP 20.3K

1.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$23.28 COP 79.8K

41.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$9.48 COP 32.5K

-21.73%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.59 COP 5,445

3.77%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.87 COP 2,983

22.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.71 COP 2,432

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.29 COP 4,424

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.83 COP 9,686

13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.15 COP 3,942

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.83 COP 6,281

-28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.36 COP 4,662

-1.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.19 COP 7,492

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.97 COP 23.9K

-36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.04 COP 20.7K

-5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.87 COP 27.0K

8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.26 COP 11.2K

-28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.08 COP 3,693

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.45 COP 4,984

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.58 COP 5,402

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.59 COP 5,452

-27.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.06 COP 3,644

11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.05 COP 3,589

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.64 COP 2,191

34.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.26 COP 7,760

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$19.05 COP 65.3K

-39.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.94 COP 3,219

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.01 COP 3,471

145.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.72 COP 2,472

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$29.61 COP 101.5K

37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$2.00 COP 6,840

-26.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.74 COP 5,966

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$4.79 COP 16.4K

62.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.01 COP 3,458

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$18.6K COP 63.8M

-5.21%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$30.0K COP 102.7M

-11.68%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$139 COP 475.0K

-41.47%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$10.88 COP 37.3K

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$25.23 COP 86.5K

-5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$23.56 COP 80.8K

10.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$2.82 COP 9,680

45.04%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$143 COP 491.6K

119.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$5,927 COP 20.3M

1.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$48.49 COP 166.2K

23.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$38.51 COP 132.0K

-16.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$128 COP 437.1K

-20.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$112 COP 382.9K

-5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$284 COP 972.7K

71.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$234 COP 803.2K

55.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$531 COP 1.8M

55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$422 COP 1.4M

72.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,893 COP 6.5M

58.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,074 COP 3.7M

22.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Soledad: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $284 in Soledad. 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 Soledad. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $219 in Soledad – 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 Soledad: 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,438 in Soledad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $959 in Soledad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Soledad, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Soledad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soledad – 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 Soledad. 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.