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 $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Moca vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,570 per month in Moca vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Moca is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Moca and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Moca 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 DOP 500

$6.16 COP 20.1K

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 DOP 2,980

$32.60 COP 106.1K

56.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 DOP 420

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$2.75 DOP 160

$1.72 COP 5,600

59.88%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.8

$1.05 COP 3,420

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 DOP 45.70

$0.77 COP 2,515

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 148

$1.69 COP 5,488

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 DOP 298

$3.17 COP 10.3K

61.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$1.05 COP 3,423

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 76.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 DOP 90.0

$1.40 COP 4,544

10.00%

Eggs

$1.32 DOP 77.2

$2.16 COP 7,047

-38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 DOP 389

$4.39 COP 14.3K

51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 DOP 362

$5.88 COP 19.1K

5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 DOP 634

$8.64 COP 28.1K

25.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$2.28 COP 7,426

44.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 DOP 33.41

$1.11 COP 3,604

-48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 DOP 169

$1.53 COP 4,983

89.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.4

$1.35 COP 4,410

-31.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 142

$1.13 COP 3,674

115.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 112

$1.13 COP 3,692

69.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 DOP 65.6

$0.85 COP 2,753

31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.6

$0.91 COP 2,975

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 336

$2.34 COP 7,630

145.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.68 DOP 622

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.20 COP 3,909

120.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 180

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 204

$1.42 COP 4,623

146.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.92 COP 6,235

13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 DOP 349

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 DOP 75.6

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

45.07%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

20.56%

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

$22.14 DOP 1,291

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-72.60%

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

$25.73 DOP 1,500

$9.95 COP 32.4K

158.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.98 DOP 1,457

$24.18 COP 78.7K

3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.92 DOP 1,278

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-12.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 DOP 385

$3.98 COP 13.0K

65.83%

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

$265 DOP 15.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

-13.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,135 DOP 474.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

34.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 DOP 3,567

$58.1 COP 189.2K

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 DOP 3,000

$32.20 COP 104.8K

59.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 DOP 5,709

$101 COP 327.9K

-2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,619

$108 COP 350.8K

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 DOP 6,904

$376 COP 1.2M

-68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 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: $223 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

Moca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,142 per month in Moca and $1,546 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 16% 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 $1,031. 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.