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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $980 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,464 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,947 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 23% lower, Soledad 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.98 COP 21.6K

-1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.99 COP 86.6K

36.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.82 COP 35.5K

-26.68%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.64 COP 5,928

3.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.86 COP 3,121

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.72 COP 2,603

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.25 COP 4,522

33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.89 COP 10.5K

7.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.20 COP 4,337

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.86 COP 6,727

-32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.33 COP 4,797

4.51%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.21 COP 7,963

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.91 COP 25.0K

-37.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.16 COP 22.2K

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.78 COP 28.1K

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.29 COP 11.9K

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.06 COP 3,844

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.51 COP 5,455

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.65 COP 5,970

-16.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.54 COP 5,562

-26.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.11 COP 4,005

0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.01 COP 3,644

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.59 COP 2,139

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.29 COP 8,254

1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.15 COP 65.5K

-38.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.92 COP 3,332

29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.97 COP 3,513

144.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 COP 2,463

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.02 COP 108.4K

37.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.91 COP 6,897

-24.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.72 COP 6,217

11.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.76 COP 17.2K

68.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.96 COP 3,472

-2.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$18.7K COP 67.5M

-4.14%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.1K COP 108.7M

-11.03%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$143 COP 514.8K

-41.13%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.90 COP 39.3K

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.92 COP 90.0K

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.77 COP 85.8K

8.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.85 COP 10.3K

37.54%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$140 COP 506.7K

118.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,852 COP 21.1M

1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.04 COP 177.0K

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$38.25 COP 138.1K

-16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$127 COP 458.6K

-21.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$112 COP 403.4K

-4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$282 COP 1.0M

72.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$236 COP 852.9K

55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$523 COP 1.9M

57.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$427 COP 1.5M

67.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,518 COP 5.5M

92.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,302 COP 4.7M

8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Soledad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $282 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 $24.00 in Soledad. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $218 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,470 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 $24.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $980 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 $980, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.