Cost of Living Comparison Between Monteria and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Monteria and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Monteria vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,174 per month in Monteria vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,584 per month in Monteria vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Monteria is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Monteria and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Monteria 43% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 COP 15.8K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.72 COP 101.2K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 23.7K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.78 COP 5,665

$1.65 COP 5,276

7.88%

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

$0.87 COP 2,773

$1.10 COP 3,514

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,935

$0.78 COP 2,491

-21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,359

$1.72 COP 5,484

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 COP 6,125

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-39.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 2,955

$1.10 COP 3,521

-15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,028

$1.26 COP 4,015

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,245

$1.38 COP 4,407

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.49 COP 4,746

$2.18 COP 6,950

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 COP 14.5K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 COP 9,083

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-50.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 COP 12.3K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-57.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 COP 6,232

$2.32 COP 7,405

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,464

$1.06 COP 3,397

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,944

$1.52 COP 4,838

-39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,628

$1.36 COP 4,327

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,892

$1.13 COP 3,599

-19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,243

$1.17 COP 3,738

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,729

$0.90 COP 2,876

-4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 COP 1,602

$0.90 COP 2,861

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 COP 9,150

$2.23 COP 7,128

28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.02 COP 35.1K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-9.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,909

$1.19 COP 3,793

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,209

$2.48 COP 7,920

-46.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,201

$0.85 COP 2,723

-18.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.78 COP 95.0K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-28.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 COP 6,009

$1.42 COP 4,518

32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.84 COP 9,065

$1.95 COP 6,223

45.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,014

$0.99 COP 3,160

-5.05%

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

$13.9K COP 44.3M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

-21.18%

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

$22.2K COP 70.7M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-17.28%

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

$96.0 COP 306.2K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

15.62%

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

$7.35 COP 23.5K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-24.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 COP 62.3K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.27 COP 74.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 COP 31.3K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 COP 12.2K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-3.54%

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

$170 COP 541.0K

$316 COP 1.0M

-46.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,847 COP 5.9M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-69.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 COP 196.8K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 COP 61.8K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-39.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 COP 190.8K

$102 COP 324.4K

-41.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.20 COP 115.5K

$107 COP 342.8K

-66.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 COP 884.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-41.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 764.2K

$374 COP 1.2M

-35.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 COP 1.7M

$849 COP 2.7M

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 COP 1.4M

$719 COP 2.3M

-39.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 COP 5.0M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-51.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 COP 4.4M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-3.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$403 COP 1.3M

$624 COP 2.0M

-35.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Monteria: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Monteria 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 55% 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 $32.00 in Monteria versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $193 – making Monteria 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

Monteria vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,146 per month in Monteria 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 Monteria, 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 $32.00 in Monteria and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Monteria and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Monteria, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Monteria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Monteria – 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 Monteria. 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.