Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Merida and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Merida vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Merida vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Merida vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Merida is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Merida and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Merida 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 VES 4,797

$5.92 COP 21.5K

66.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.38 VES 22.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 VES 4,880

$7.20 COP 26.2K

39.44%

Cappuccino

$1.63 VES 794

$1.70 COP 6,186

-4.12%

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

$1.15 VES 561

$1.10 COP 3,996

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 VES 398

$0.72 COP 2,625

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 VES 565

$1.67 COP 6,067

-30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 VES 717

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-52.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 VES 1,063

$1.06 COP 3,837

106.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 VES 1,238

$1.25 COP 4,531

104.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 VES 809

$1.39 COP 5,060

19.42%

Eggs

$2.08 VES 1,013

$2.26 COP 8,229

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 VES 2,567

$4.33 COP 15.8K

21.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 VES 3,182

$5.84 COP 21.2K

12.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 VES 3,505

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 VES 2,508

$2.24 COP 8,159

130.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 VES 516

$1.08 COP 3,911

-1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 VES 810

$1.53 COP 5,563

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 VES 508

$1.37 COP 4,987

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 VES 439

$1.13 COP 4,109

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 VES 577

$1.12 COP 4,067

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 VES 601

$0.85 COP 3,080

45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 VES 839

$0.91 COP 3,305

90.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 VES 1,969

$2.33 COP 8,477

73.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 VES 5,331

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 VES 573

$1.19 COP 4,342

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 VES 640

$2.37 COP 8,617

-44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 143

$0.79 COP 2,859

-63.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 VES 1,934

$1.44 COP 5,223

176.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 VES 1,198

$1.91 COP 6,952

28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 237

$0.94 COP 3,410

-47.87%

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

$45.7K VES 22.2M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

154.89%

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

$38.0K VES 18.5M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

41.96%

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

$12.90 VES 6,274

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-84.64%

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

$9.86 VES 4,794

$9.60 COP 34.9K

2.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 VES 18.0K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 VES 12.3K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 VES 7,190

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-22.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 VES 3,447

$3.92 COP 14.2K

80.87%

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

$58.4 VES 28.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

-80.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.0 VES 43.3K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

53.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 VES 19.7K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

27.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 VES 42.6K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-12.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 VES 32.0K

$107 COP 389.7K

-38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$119 VES 57.8K

$487 COP 1.8M

-75.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.8 VES 44.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-75.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 VES 98.9K

$826 COP 3.0M

-75.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 VES 91.3K

$716 COP 2.6M

-73.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 VES 561.0K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-60.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 VES 580.0K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-15.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 VES 142.7K

$546 COP 2.0M

-46.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Merida: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $119 in Merida versus $487 in Medellin. 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 86% 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 $45.00 in Merida versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $190 – 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

Merida vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,078 per month in Merida and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, 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 $45.00 in Merida and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merida – 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 Merida. 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.