Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $400 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $653 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Soroca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 310% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Soroca is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.40 MDL 196

-29.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$23.28 MDL 399

107.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.76 MDL 81.7

97.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.49 MDL 25.57

97.32%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.72 MDL 12.31

158.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.48 MDL 8.17

204.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.14 MDL 19.60

181.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.47 MDL 25.14

288.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.06 MDL 18.18

35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.37 MDL 6.29

548.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.19 MDL 20.43

42.86%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.03 MDL 34.76

42.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.05 MDL 35.13

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.64 MDL 10.98

212.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.54 MDL 9.19

137.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.18 MDL 20.28

11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.63 MDL 28.00

-16.56%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$20.8K MDL 357.8K

75.25%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$62.0 MDL 1,063

172.30%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$8.68 MDL 149

56.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$13.53 MDL 232

109.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$28.71 MDL 493

59.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.40 MDL 58.3

95.59%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$34.45 MDL 591

153.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$34.57 MDL 593

71.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$109 MDL 1,863

27.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$34.91 MDL 599

192.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$514 MDL 8,825

27.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Soroca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 27% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $48.00 – making Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 310%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $600 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 529% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Soroca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – 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 Soroca. 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.