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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $809 per month in Merida vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,428 per month in Merida vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,047 per month in Merida vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Merida is about 52% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Merida sits 41% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.90 VES 10.0K

$8.02 COP 25.0K

48.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 VES 51.0K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

26.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 VES 9,169

$9.89 COP 30.8K

9.81%

Cappuccino

$2.56 VES 2,165

$3.13 COP 9,767

-18.21%

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

$2.11 VES 1,782

$1.91 COP 5,954

10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 VES 1,108

$1.51 COP 4,712

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 VES 1,658

$3.12 COP 9,747

-37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 VES 2,571

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-47.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 VES 1,673

$1.44 COP 4,509

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 VES 2,758

$2.49 COP 7,759

31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 VES 1,638

$1.77 COP 5,535

9.60%

Eggs

$2.47 VES 2,085

$2.96 COP 9,235

-16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 VES 5,539

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 VES 6,452

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-24.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 VES 6,178

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-48.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 VES 4,285

$4.14 COP 12.9K

22.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 VES 1,237

$1.61 COP 5,019

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 VES 2,452

$2.25 COP 7,007

28.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,909

$2.25 COP 7,028

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 VES 1,683

$2.04 COP 6,375

-2.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,141

$1.54 COP 4,790

-12.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 VES 1,269

$1.17 COP 3,651

28.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 VES 2,179

$1.31 COP 4,077

96.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 VES 3,220

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 VES 9,339

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 VES 1,171

$1.74 COP 5,439

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 VES 1,781

$2.87 COP 8,956

-26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 245

$1.22 COP 3,792

-76.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 3,472

$1.31 COP 4,084

213.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 VES 1,297

$2.19 COP 6,825

-29.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 VES 4,916

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-33.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 VES 640

$1.37 COP 4,260

-44.53%

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

$44.4K VES 37.5M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

59.50%

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

$50.3K VES 42.5M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

40.57%

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

$12.69 VES 10.7K

$177 COP 553.2K

-92.84%

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

$10.46 VES 8,831

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-24.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 VES 25.4K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 VES 25.2K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-33.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 VES 12.7K

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-12.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 VES 4,207

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-25.11%

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

$89.2 VES 75.3K

$813 COP 2.5M

-89.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 VES 2.0M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-74.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 VES 60.8K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 VES 34.8K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-30.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 VES 83.1K

$138 COP 431.2K

-28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 VES 82.9K

$102 COP 318.7K

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 VES 111.8K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-87.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 VES 77.4K

$663 COP 2.1M

-86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 VES 189.6K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 VES 158.5K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-81.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 VES 1.0M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-71.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 VES 1.0M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-27.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 VES 240.6K

$678 COP 2.1M

-57.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

128.52%

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

Last update for Merida: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Merida versus $1,062 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 138% 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 $60.0 in Merida versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Merida vs $305 in Medellin – so Merida wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 108%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,214 per month in Merida and $2,521 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 $60.0 in Merida and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.