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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Oranjestad vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,189 per month in Oranjestad vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,035 per month in Oranjestad vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Oranjestad costs about 39% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Oranjestad and Medellin sit above the global median – Oranjestad by 71%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.82 AWG 39.05

$8.02 COP 25.0K

172.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 AWG 143

$47.87 COP 149.4K

66.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 AWG 18.02

$9.89 COP 30.8K

1.82%

Cappuccino

$4.29 AWG 7.67

$3.13 COP 9,767

37.06%

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

$1.41 AWG 2.52

$1.91 COP 5,954

-26.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$1.51 COP 4,712

5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 AWG 5.52

$3.12 COP 9,747

-1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 AWG 7.19

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 AWG 3.24

$1.44 COP 4,509

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 AWG 5.41

$2.49 COP 7,759

21.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

$1.77 COP 5,535

64.97%

Eggs

$5.46 AWG 9.77

$2.96 COP 9,235

84.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 AWG 22.62

$10.07 COP 31.4K

25.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 AWG 16.98

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 AWG 21.49

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-16.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 AWG 8.52

$4.14 COP 12.9K

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.94

$1.61 COP 5,019

36.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 AWG 8.84

$2.25 COP 7,007

119.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 AWG 6.11

$2.25 COP 7,028

51.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 AWG 3.93

$2.04 COP 6,375

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 AWG 3.51

$1.54 COP 4,790

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$1.17 COP 3,651

120.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 AWG 2.80

$1.31 COP 4,077

19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 AWG 17.62

$3.90 COP 12.2K

152.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 AWG 17.61

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-29.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 AWG 6.96

$1.74 COP 5,439

123.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 AWG 7.80

$2.87 COP 8,956

51.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 AWG 3.83

$1.22 COP 3,792

75.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 AWG 53.6

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-62.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.19 AWG 30.76

$1.31 COP 4,084

1212.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 AWG 6.86

$2.19 COP 6,825

74.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 AWG 43.84

$8.71 COP 27.2K

181.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 AWG 3.64

$1.37 COP 4,260

48.91%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-4.80%

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

$35.9K AWG 64.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

0.48%

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

$250 AWG 448

$177 COP 553.2K

41.15%

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

$48.21 AWG 86.3

$13.88 COP 43.3K

247.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 AWG 191

$29.72 COP 92.8K

258.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 AWG 112

$44.88 COP 140.1K

39.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.95 AWG 46.43

$17.12 COP 53.4K

51.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 AWG 21.24

$6.65 COP 20.7K

78.50%

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

$251 AWG 449

$813 COP 2.5M

-69.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,523 AWG 15.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-7.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 AWG 109

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 AWG 89.7

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-14.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 AWG 198

$138 COP 431.2K

-19.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 AWG 182

$102 COP 318.7K

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 AWG 1,673

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-11.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 AWG 1,676

$663 COP 2.1M

41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 AWG 4,828

$1,888 COP 5.9M

42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 AWG 5,526

$1,027 COP 3.2M

200.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 AWG 4,094

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-45.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,710 AWG 3,060

$1,675 COP 5.2M

2.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,708 AWG 3,056

$678 COP 2.1M

152.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

10.94

-42.87%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $935 in Oranjestad 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 152% 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 $80.0 in Oranjestad versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $305 – 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 39%, 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 $3,515 per month in Oranjestad 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 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 $80.0 in Oranjestad and $48.00 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 $2,343 in Oranjestad and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Oranjestad at $2,343. 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.