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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,989 per month in Oranjestad vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,152 per month in Oranjestad vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,315 per month in Oranjestad vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Oranjestad costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Oranjestad sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 AWG 34.62

$5.92 COP 21.5K

226.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 AWG 146

$32.75 COP 119.1K

149.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 AWG 18.50

$7.20 COP 26.2K

43.61%

Cappuccino

$3.63 AWG 6.49

$1.70 COP 6,186

113.53%

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

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.10 COP 3,996

33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$0.72 COP 2,625

120.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 AWG 5.40

$1.67 COP 6,067

80.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 AWG 7.18

$3.10 COP 11.3K

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 AWG 3.35

$1.06 COP 3,837

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$1.25 COP 4,531

138.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.06

$1.39 COP 5,060

103.60%

Eggs

$5.22 AWG 9.35

$2.26 COP 8,229

130.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 AWG 22.73

$4.33 COP 15.8K

193.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 AWG 16.93

$5.84 COP 21.2K

61.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.53

$8.83 COP 32.1K

36.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 AWG 8.50

$2.24 COP 8,159

112.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.08 COP 3,911

113.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 AWG 9.22

$1.53 COP 5,563

236.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 AWG 6.21

$1.37 COP 4,987

153.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 AWG 4.00

$1.13 COP 4,109

98.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 AWG 3.47

$1.12 COP 4,067

73.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$0.85 COP 3,080

203.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AWG 2.75

$0.91 COP 3,305

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 AWG 17.98

$2.33 COP 8,477

331.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 AWG 18.30

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-8.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 AWG 6.92

$1.19 COP 4,342

225.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 AWG 7.69

$2.37 COP 8,617

81.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AWG 3.98

$0.79 COP 2,859

181.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 AWG 54.5

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-25.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.12 AWG 30.64

$1.44 COP 5,223

1088.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

$1.91 COP 6,952

109.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 AWG 44.13

$8.02 COP 29.2K

207.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$0.94 COP 3,410

56.38%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

48.08%

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

$35.0K AWG 62.6K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

30.49%

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

$257 AWG 460

$84.0 COP 305.4K

205.75%

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

$49.05 AWG 87.8

$9.60 COP 34.9K

410.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$24.16 COP 87.9K

332.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 AWG 192

$25.88 COP 94.1K

314.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 AWG 45.79

$19.04 COP 69.3K

34.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 AWG 21.67

$3.92 COP 14.2K

208.93%

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

$246 AWG 440

$306 COP 1.1M

-19.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,715 AWG 15.6K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

47.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AWG 105

$57.9 COP 210.6K

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 AWG 89.5

$31.82 COP 115.7K

57.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 193

$99.9 COP 363.3K

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 AWG 184

$107 COP 389.7K

-4.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 AWG 1,220

$487 COP 1.8M

40.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 AWG 1,021

$368 COP 1.3M

55.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AWG 2,636

$826 COP 3.0M

78.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 AWG 2,428

$716 COP 2.6M

89.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 AWG 4,059

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-22.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 AWG 3,092

$1,407 COP 5.1M

22.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,692 AWG 3,029

$546 COP 2.0M

210.15%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Oranjestad versus $487 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 210% 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 $82.0 in Oranjestad versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 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 92%, 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 $2,983 per month in Oranjestad and $1,550 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 $82.0 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 $1,989 in Oranjestad and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Oranjestad at $1,989. 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.