Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sucre Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sucre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $673 in Sucre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,012 in Sucre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,352 in Sucre, rent included.

Medellin costs about 150% more than Sucre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sucre is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.51 BOB 15.22

431.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.00 BOB 162

199.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.27 BOB 33.01

202.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.74 BOB 17.54

79.89%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.80 BOB 8.11

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.54 BOB 5.44

179.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.05 BOB 20.71

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.02 BOB 20.36

184.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.82 BOB 8.29

75.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.31 BOB 13.26

90.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.92 BOB 9.31

92.39%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.29 BOB 13.03

129.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$3.83 BOB 38.70

162.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.44 BOB 24.62

314.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$4.42 BOB 44.65

223.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.85 BOB 18.68

123.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.86 BOB 8.73

87.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.76 BOB 7.67

196.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.98 BOB 30.05

-24.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.45 BOB 4.57

353.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.78 BOB 7.83

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.29 BOB 2.91

303.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.87 BOB 8.80

50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.07 BOB 10.77

264.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.02 BOB 101

39.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.35 BOB 13.64

28.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.17 BOB 1.70

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.60 BOB 6.02

118.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.42 BOB 4.27

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.75 BOB 7.55

82.67%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$14.59 BOB 147

1115.22%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$14.79 BOB 149

-6.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$20.99 BOB 212

41.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.49 BOB 278

63.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.63 BOB 56.8

18.12%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$101 BOB 1,024

702.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$37.83 BOB 382

136.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$75.9 BOB 766

82.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$67.4 BOB 681

51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$464 BOB 4,683

129.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$292 BOB 2,953

126.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$764 BOB 7,715

147.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$510 BOB 5,153

101.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$332 BOB 3,350

104.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sucre: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $464 in Sucre. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% 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 $16.00 in Sucre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $141 – making Sucre 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 Sucre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 150%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,009 in Sucre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sucre, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $16.00 in Sucre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sucre, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sucre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sucre – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sucre. 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.