Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma Soriano and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma Soriano and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,573 per month in Palma Soriano vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,875 per month in Palma Soriano vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,176 per month in Palma Soriano vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Palma Soriano costs about 53% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Palma Soriano sits 18% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 CUP 119

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-19.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 CUP 597

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-23.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 CUP 117

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-33.38%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CUP 75.6

$1.72 COP 5,600

83.14%

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

$1.28 CUP 30.62

$1.05 COP 3,420

21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CUP 22.33

$0.77 COP 2,515

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 CUP 71.4

$1.69 COP 5,488

76.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CUP 60.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-21.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CUP 47.25

$1.05 COP 3,423

87.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 CUP 34.11

$1.30 COP 4,236

9.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$1.40 COP 4,544

-30.71%

Eggs

$1.23 CUP 29.42

$2.16 COP 7,047

-43.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 CUP 143

$4.39 COP 14.3K

35.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 CUP 147

$5.88 COP 19.1K

4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 CUP 268

$8.64 COP 28.1K

29.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CUP 43.90

$2.28 COP 7,426

-19.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CUP 28.41

$1.11 COP 3,604

6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.30

$1.53 COP 4,983

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.82

$1.35 COP 4,410

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.65

$1.13 COP 3,674

-8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$1.13 COP 3,692

-13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$0.85 COP 2,753

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.77

$0.91 COP 2,975

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.34 COP 7,630

27.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 CUP 241

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 CUP 73.1

$1.20 COP 3,909

154.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CUP 49.00

$2.49 COP 8,104

-18.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.71

$0.84 COP 2,728

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 CUP 728

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-25.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 CUP 41.99

$1.42 COP 4,623

23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 CUP 8.77

$1.92 COP 6,235

-80.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 CUP 315

$7.66 COP 24.9K

71.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CUP 27.98

$0.99 COP 3,223

18.18%

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

$66.4K CUP 1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

268.04%

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

$45.9K CUP 1.1M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

72.36%

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

$54.1 CUP 1,299

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-33.02%

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

$9.97 CUP 239

$9.95 COP 32.4K

0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$148 CUP 3,552

$24.18 COP 78.7K

512.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 CUP 945

$25.08 COP 81.7K

57.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 CUP 239

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-47.94%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.44

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-75.38%

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

$100 CUP 2,404

$305 COP 993.5K

-67.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CUP 283.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

94.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 CUP 1,579

$58.1 COP 189.2K

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 CUP 841

$32.20 COP 104.8K

8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 CUP 2,046

$101 COP 327.9K

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CUP 2,616

$108 COP 350.8K

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 CUP 20.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

81.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 CUP 19.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

110.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 CUP 18.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

-10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CUP 15.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$325 CUP 7,807

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-89.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 CUP 7,758

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-76.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$40.12 CUP 963

$617 COP 2.0M

-93.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

13.43

-37.97%

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

Last update for Palma Soriano: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Palma Soriano versus $477 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 1437% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Palma Soriano versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Palma Soriano vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Palma Soriano vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Palma Soriano is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,360 per month in Palma Soriano and $1,546 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 $25.00 in Palma Soriano 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 $1,573 in Palma Soriano and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Palma Soriano at $1,573. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palma Soriano 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.

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