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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,622 in Varadero, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,010 in Varadero, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,399 in Varadero, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Varadero is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.86 CUP 141

5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$48.14 CUP 1,155

-32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.81 CUP 211

-16.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$0.98 CUP 23.41

75.51%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.99 CUP 47.68

-47.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.99 CUP 23.73

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.68 CUP 88.3

-54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.54 CUP 61.0

24.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.99 CUP 71.7

-64.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.24 CUP 29.83

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 CUP 36.03

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.41 CUP 57.8

-10.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.17 CUP 148

-28.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.10 CUP 122

15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.93 CUP 286

-27.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$4.98 CUP 120

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.57 CUP 13.79

94.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.98 CUP 23.46

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.14 CUP 27.28

18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.92 CUP 22.05

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$5.48 CUP 132

-79.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.38 CUP 9.19

123.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 CUP 13.75

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.61 CUP 86.5

-35.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.66 CUP 136

118.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.87 CUP 20.92

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.77 CUP 18.60

223.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.93 CUP 478

103.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.06 CUP 49.39

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.97 CUP 23.39

97.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.18 CUP 484

-62.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.33 CUP 31.95

-25.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

-73.76%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

-66.05%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.57 CUP 950

104.22%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$39.46 CUP 947

-74.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$219 CUP 5,245

-88.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$39.75 CUP 954

-36.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.08 CUP 362

26.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$0.99 CUP 23.68

302.02%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$90.8 CUP 2,178

236.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

-59.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$39.74 CUP 954

46.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.60 CUP 734

5.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.0 CUP 1,776

36.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$86.2 CUP 2,069

24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$407 CUP 9,766

17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$796 CUP 19.1K

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

-29.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$640 CUP 15.3K

14.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$389 CUP 9,342

726.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$355 CUP 8,529

286.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$19.38 CUP 465

3082.66%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Varadero: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $407 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 3083% 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: $193 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 57%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,433 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,622 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 $1,031, than in Varadero at $1,622. 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.