Cost of Living Comparison Between Moca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Moca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Moca vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,165 per month in Moca vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Moca vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Moca is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moca and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Moca 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 DOP 508

$5.99 COP 21.4K

45.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 DOP 2,984

$32.86 COP 117.4K

55.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 442

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.91%

Cappuccino

$2.71 DOP 158

$1.71 COP 6,115

58.48%

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

$1.03 DOP 60.1

$1.10 COP 3,924

-6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 45.06

$0.78 COP 2,781

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

$1.68 COP 5,997

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 DOP 293

$3.07 COP 11.0K

63.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 DOP 62.6

$1.09 COP 3,906

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 77.1

$1.26 COP 4,508

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DOP 90.9

$1.38 COP 4,922

13.04%

Eggs

$1.34 DOP 78.3

$2.19 COP 7,827

-38.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 386

$4.40 COP 15.7K

50.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 DOP 377

$5.63 COP 20.1K

14.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 DOP 651

$8.89 COP 31.8K

25.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 185

$2.34 COP 8,349

35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 DOP 33.55

$1.06 COP 3,777

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 177

$1.50 COP 5,374

102.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 53.3

$1.38 COP 4,924

-34.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 DOP 150

$1.15 COP 4,111

123.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 DOP 108

$1.16 COP 4,155

59.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.9

$0.89 COP 3,182

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$0.84 COP 2,997

15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 DOP 337

$2.28 COP 8,145

153.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 DOP 620

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 DOP 159

$1.20 COP 4,284

126.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 DOP 184

$2.47 COP 8,824

27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 DOP 202

$1.47 COP 5,264

136.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$1.96 COP 7,009

12.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 DOP 355

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-21.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.9

$0.95 COP 3,409

38.95%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

48.38%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

17.68%

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

$22.40 DOP 1,306

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-72.77%

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

$25.15 DOP 1,467

$9.50 COP 33.9K

164.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.63 DOP 1,495

$24.23 COP 86.5K

5.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.05 DOP 1,286

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-14.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 DOP 386

$3.93 COP 14.0K

68.45%

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

$271 DOP 15.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

-12.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

34.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 DOP 3,441

$58.7 COP 209.5K

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,014

$32.35 COP 115.5K

59.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 DOP 5,664

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,737

$108 COP 387.2K

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 DOP 6,995

$379 COP 1.4M

-68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

13.43

-3.95%

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

Last update for Moca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Moca versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $188 – 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

Moca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,143 per month in Moca and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Moca 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 20% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Moca, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Moca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moca – 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 Moca. 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.