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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,435 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,916 in Soledad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Soledad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Soledad 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.13 COP 19.3K

-3.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.14 COP 72.8K

42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.45 COP 29.8K

-21.38%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.59 COP 5,008

3.77%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.80 COP 2,518

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.72 COP 2,279

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.30 COP 4,091

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.96 COP 9,306

7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.15 COP 3,634

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.87 COP 5,878

-32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.33 COP 4,203

3.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.21 COP 6,958

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.98 COP 22.0K

-35.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.10 COP 19.2K

-5.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.76 COP 24.4K

15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.17 COP 9,978

-26.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.11 COP 3,497

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.45 COP 4,557

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.64 COP 5,152

-17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.60 COP 5,036

-29.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.10 COP 3,466

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.05 COP 3,300

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.63 COP 1,997

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.25 COP 7,090

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.89 COP 59.5K

-35.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.99 COP 3,118

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.99 COP 3,115

150.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.68 COP 2,126

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$29.96 COP 94.3K

38.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.95 COP 6,143

-27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.65 COP 5,181

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.78 COP 15.0K

65.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.96 COP 3,011

3.13%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$18.5K COP 58.4M

-5.07%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$30.4K COP 95.8M

-11.93%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$139 COP 436.8K

-40.17%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.70 COP 33.7K

-9.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.40 COP 80.0K

-7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.37 COP 73.6K

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.86 COP 9,019

38.11%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$141 COP 443.8K

124.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,907 COP 18.6M

1.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$48.36 COP 152.3K

24.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$38.47 COP 121.1K

-17.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$125 COP 393.3K

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$112 COP 351.1K

-3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$279 COP 878.7K

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$241 COP 760.1K

54.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$521 COP 1.6M

62.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$433 COP 1.4M

66.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,046 COP 6.4M

59.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,606 COP 5.1M

-10.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Soledad: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $279 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 – $193 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 5%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,430 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $954 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 $954, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.