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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $699 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,077 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,455 in Soroca, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Soroca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.66 MDL 149

-30.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$36.01 MDL 618

-8.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.79 MDL 134

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.79 MDL 30.65

-4.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.94 MDL 16.07

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.69 MDL 11.84

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.73 MDL 29.65

-2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.39 MDL 40.97

28.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.25 MDL 21.46

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.55 MDL 9.50

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.44 MDL 24.67

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.64 MDL 45.24

-17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.24 MDL 176

-57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.34 MDL 91.6

5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.05 MDL 155

-1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.90 MDL 15.39

160.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.74 MDL 29.90

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.75 MDL 30.12

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.08 MDL 35.66

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.83 MDL 14.32

38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.55 MDL 9.47

110.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.36 MDL 23.42

-34.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.89 MDL 15.22

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.16 MDL 54.3

-27.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.21 MDL 20.86

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.93 MDL 33.13

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.28 MDL 4.78

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.99 MDL 34.25

-26.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.25 MDL 4.29

684.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.32 MDL 91.4

45.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.37 MDL 23.48

-30.66%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$32.5K MDL 558.4K

-44.25%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$30.7K MDL 526.8K

-13.67%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$175 MDL 3,003

-52.97%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.39 MDL 127

28.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$10.95 MDL 188

121.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.62 MDL 131

-48.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$385 MDL 6,615

-19.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,749 MDL 133.1K

-23.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$65.7 MDL 1,128

-10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$53.4 MDL 917

-39.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$113 MDL 1,935

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$122 MDL 2,093

-11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$517 MDL 8,875

-0.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 1% higher in Soroca, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Soroca. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $181 in Soroca – so Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,048 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.