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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,345 in Varadero, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,764 in Varadero, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,183 in Varadero, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Varadero is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.40 CUP 106

82.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$19.65 CUP 472

145.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.90 CUP 166

36.52%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.55 CUP 37.31

89.68%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.00 CUP 48.11

-7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.91 CUP 21.96

60.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.57 CUP 61.7

24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.49 CUP 83.7

63.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.95 CUP 70.7

-51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.51 CUP 36.15

58.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.45 CUP 34.77

17.24%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.15 CUP 51.5

34.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$5.83 CUP 140

72.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.54 CUP 109

119.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.67 CUP 280

21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.41 CUP 81.7

16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.01 CUP 24.13

56.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.57 CUP 37.64

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.60 CUP 38.43

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.14 CUP 51.5

-6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$3.89 CUP 93.4

-61.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.71 CUP 17.10

69.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.57 CUP 13.80

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.78 CUP 90.8

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.55 CUP 133

152.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.89 CUP 21.37

92.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.10 CUP 50.4

30.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.10 CUP 2.47

1150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$15.38 CUP 369

406.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.98 CUP 47.48

-33.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.02 CUP 24.36

112.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$20.04 CUP 481

-58.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.33 CUP 31.93

2.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

-60.78%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

-54.04%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$40.56 CUP 973

315.98%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$39.41 CUP 946

-65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$220 CUP 5,269

-87.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.82 CUP 956

14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$14.85 CUP 356

15.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$1.01 CUP 24.34

558.42%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$91.7 CUP 2,201

776.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$14.7K CUP 353.3K

-37.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$39.25 CUP 942

122.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$30.25 CUP 726

96.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$74.5 CUP 1,788

86.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$84.9 CUP 2,038

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$508 CUP 12.2K

110.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$568 CUP 13.6K

14.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,186 CUP 28.5K

62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$646 CUP 15.5K

62.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$390 CUP 9,363

956.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$356 CUP 8,555

376.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$19.05 CUP 457

3338.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-27.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varadero: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $508 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 3338% 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 $20.00 in Varadero. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $215 – making Varadero 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,017 in Varadero. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varadero, 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 $20.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,345 in Varadero. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Varadero, where all-in costs run around $1,345, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Varadero it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varadero – 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 Varadero. 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.