Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Oranjestad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,960 per month in Oranjestad vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,168 per month in Oranjestad vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,376 per month in Oranjestad vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Oranjestad costs about 93% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Oranjestad sits 46% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 AWG 34.16

$5.95 COP 20.8K

220.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 AWG 145

$33.33 COP 116.3K

142.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 AWG 18.09

$7.23 COP 25.2K

39.83%

Cappuccino

$3.74 AWG 6.69

$1.63 COP 5,687

129.45%

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

$1.43 AWG 2.55

$1.09 COP 3,821

31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.85

$0.73 COP 2,548

117.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$1.74 COP 6,065

68.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 AWG 7.20

$3.23 COP 11.3K

24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 AWG 3.31

$1.05 COP 3,662

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 AWG 5.25

$1.29 COP 4,515

127.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.08

$1.32 COP 4,617

115.15%

Eggs

$5.36 AWG 9.60

$2.27 COP 7,927

136.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 AWG 22.31

$4.35 COP 15.2K

186.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 AWG 16.42

$5.88 COP 20.5K

56.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 AWG 21.98

$8.61 COP 30.0K

42.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 AWG 8.35

$2.25 COP 7,844

107.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 AWG 4.00

$1.07 COP 3,733

108.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 AWG 8.75

$1.52 COP 5,322

221.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.10

$1.42 COP 4,964

140.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 AWG 4.09

$1.17 COP 4,084

94.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 AWG 3.49

$1.17 COP 4,077

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 AWG 4.73

$0.89 COP 3,096

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$0.90 COP 3,146

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 AWG 17.58

$2.25 COP 7,837

336.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 AWG 17.55

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 AWG 7.23

$1.14 COP 3,977

254.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 AWG 8.01

$2.38 COP 8,301

88.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 AWG 3.96

$0.84 COP 2,916

163.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 AWG 53.5

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-28.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 AWG 30.58

$1.41 COP 4,912

1112.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 AWG 6.82

$1.90 COP 6,634

100.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 AWG 44.59

$7.75 COP 27.0K

221.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 AWG 2.74

$1.01 COP 3,509

51.49%

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

$26.2K AWG 46.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

48.78%

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

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

35.66%

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

$249 AWG 446

$83.7 COP 292.1K

197.62%

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

$48.19 AWG 86.2

$9.45 COP 33.0K

409.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$24.11 COP 84.1K

333.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 AWG 193

$25.31 COP 88.3K

325.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.44 AWG 45.52

$19.14 COP 66.8K

32.92%

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 AWG 21.76

$4.10 COP 14.3K

196.59%

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

$246 AWG 440

$312 COP 1.1M

-21.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,439 AWG 15.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

40.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 AWG 108

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 AWG 90.6

$32.56 COP 113.6K

55.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AWG 198

$99.6 COP 347.7K

11.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

$109 COP 378.8K

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 AWG 1,227

$482 COP 1.7M

42.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 AWG 1,005

$379 COP 1.3M

47.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 AWG 2,610

$837 COP 2.9M

74.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 AWG 2,422

$723 COP 2.5M

87.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 AWG 4,037

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-20.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 AWG 3,049

$1,223 COP 4.3M

39.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,749 AWG 3,131

$541 COP 1.9M

223.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

13.43

-53.46%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $686 in Oranjestad versus $482 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 223% higher in Oranjestad, 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 $81.0 in Oranjestad versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $190 – 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

Oranjestad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oranjestad is pricier by about 93%, 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 $2,940 per month in Oranjestad and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $81.0 in Oranjestad 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 $1,960 in Oranjestad and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Oranjestad at $1,960. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oranjestad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oranjestad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.