Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varadero Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varadero

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,618 in Varadero, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,999 in Varadero, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,380 in Varadero, rent included.

Medellin is about 37% cheaper than Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Varadero is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.88 CUP 141

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$47.70 CUP 1,145

-31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.18 CUP 220

-22.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.03 CUP 24.66

66.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.97 CUP 47.22

-44.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.93 CUP 22.24

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.80 CUP 91.2

-55.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.66 CUP 63.8

15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.94 CUP 70.7

-62.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.31 CUP 31.47

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.47 CUP 35.25

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.44 CUP 58.5

-10.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.13 CUP 147

-28.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.02 CUP 120

12.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.14 CUP 291

-26.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.92 CUP 118

-52.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.58 CUP 13.85

82.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.02 CUP 24.52

47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.14 CUP 27.42

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.89 CUP 21.33

29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$5.67 CUP 136

-79.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.35 CUP 8.49

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.55 CUP 13.09

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.79 CUP 91.1

-39.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.72 CUP 137

86.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.80 CUP 19.26

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$0.72 CUP 17.27

243.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$19.88 CUP 477

108.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.01 CUP 48.34

-26.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.01 CUP 24.25

94.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$20.13 CUP 483

-61.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.32 CUP 31.78

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

-74.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

-66.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$39.63 CUP 951

107.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$39.25 CUP 942

-75.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$218 CUP 5,222

-88.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.30 CUP 967

-35.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$14.98 CUP 359

26.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$0.99 CUP 23.67

296.97%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$90.6 CUP 2,173

241.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

-59.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$40.15 CUP 964

46.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.72 CUP 713

8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$74.2 CUP 1,780

38.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$84.4 CUP 2,026

28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$404 CUP 9,687

17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$797 CUP 19.1K

-52.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

-30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$638 CUP 15.3K

13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$387 CUP 9,293

620.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$352 CUP 8,437

244.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$19.62 CUP 471

2508.46%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Varadero: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $404 in Varadero. 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 2508% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Varadero. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $215 – making Medellin 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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varadero is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,427 in Varadero. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,618 in Varadero. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Varadero at $1,618. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varadero it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varadero makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.