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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $720 per month in Merida vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Merida vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,710 per month in Merida vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Merida is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Merida and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Merida 46% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 VES 7,528

$5.91 COP 18.6K

70.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.88 VES 34.3K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 VES 7,376

$7.43 COP 23.4K

32.84%

Cappuccino

$1.61 VES 1,204

$1.65 COP 5,207

-2.42%

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

$1.18 VES 883

$1.10 COP 3,468

7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 VES 563

$0.78 COP 2,458

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 VES 875

$1.72 COP 5,412

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 VES 1,098

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-53.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 VES 1,652

$1.10 COP 3,474

100.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,891

$1.26 COP 3,962

100.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 VES 1,251

$1.38 COP 4,349

21.01%

Eggs

$2.10 VES 1,566

$2.18 COP 6,858

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 VES 3,946

$4.49 COP 14.1K

17.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 VES 4,739

$5.79 COP 18.2K

9.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 VES 5,508

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-17.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 VES 3,702

$2.32 COP 7,308

113.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 VES 798

$1.06 COP 3,352

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 VES 1,305

$1.52 COP 4,774

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 VES 781

$1.36 COP 4,270

-22.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 VES 694

$1.13 COP 3,552

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 VES 919

$1.17 COP 3,689

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 VES 932

$0.90 COP 2,838

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 VES 1,331

$0.90 COP 2,823

97.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 VES 2,909

$2.23 COP 7,034

74.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 VES 8,319

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-8.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 VES 885

$1.19 COP 3,743

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 VES 999

$2.48 COP 7,815

-45.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 VES 201

$0.85 COP 2,687

-68.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 VES 3,031

$1.42 COP 4,459

185.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 VES 1,911

$1.95 COP 6,141

31.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 360

$0.99 COP 3,118

-51.52%

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

$44.4K VES 33.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

152.30%

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

$37.1K VES 27.7M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

38.44%

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

$13.41 VES 10.0K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-83.85%

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

$10.04 VES 7,503

$9.70 COP 30.5K

3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 VES 28.1K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

59.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.60 VES 18.4K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.01 VES 11.2K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-21.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 VES 5,203

$3.95 COP 12.4K

76.46%

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

$56.9 VES 42.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

-82.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 VES 66.1K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 VES 29.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 VES 64.5K

$102 COP 320.1K

-15.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 VES 47.9K

$107 COP 338.3K

-40.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 VES 86.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

-75.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.7 VES 68.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

-75.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 VES 155.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

-75.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 VES 140.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-73.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,180 VES 881.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-63.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 VES 913.0K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 VES 215.2K

$624 COP 2.0M

-53.87%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $116 in Merida versus $475 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 117% 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 $46.00 in Merida versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $193 – 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 39%, 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 $1,079 per month in Merida and $1,504 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 $46.00 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 23% 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 $720, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.