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 $1,568 per month in Palma Soriano vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Palma Soriano vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,193 per month in Palma Soriano vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Palma Soriano costs about 55% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Palma Soriano sits 17% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 CUP 120

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-16.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.43 CUP 610

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-22.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 CUP 118

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-30.47%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CUP 75.5

$1.71 COP 6,115

84.21%

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

$1.26 CUP 30.28

$1.10 COP 3,924

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 CUP 22.04

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$1.68 COP 5,997

80.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CUP 58.1

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CUP 49.13

$1.09 COP 3,906

88.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 CUP 34.16

$1.26 COP 4,508

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

$1.38 COP 4,922

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.21 CUP 29.12

$2.19 COP 7,827

-44.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 CUP 148

$4.40 COP 15.7K

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 CUP 147

$5.63 COP 20.1K

8.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 CUP 260

$8.89 COP 31.8K

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CUP 45.58

$2.34 COP 8,349

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.37

$1.06 COP 3,777

15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 35.01

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 34.97

$1.38 COP 4,924

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CUP 23.75

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.16 COP 4,155

-15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

$0.89 COP 3,182

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.96

$0.84 COP 2,997

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$2.28 COP 8,145

34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 CUP 237

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$1.20 COP 4,284

148.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CUP 48.99

$2.47 COP 8,824

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 CUP 6.28

$0.86 COP 3,056

-69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 CUP 715

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 CUP 43.75

$1.47 COP 5,264

23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 CUP 8.69

$1.96 COP 7,009

-81.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 CUP 305

$7.74 COP 27.6K

64.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CUP 26.84

$0.95 COP 3,409

17.89%

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

$65.4K CUP 1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

260.71%

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

$46.2K CUP 1.1M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

74.33%

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

$54.2 CUP 1,300

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-34.16%

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

$10.05 CUP 241

$9.50 COP 33.9K

5.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 CUP 3,499

$24.23 COP 86.5K

501.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 CUP 972

$25.89 COP 92.4K

56.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 CUP 238

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-47.79%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.45

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-75.06%

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

$99.9 CUP 2,397

$309 COP 1.1M

-67.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CUP 292.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

104.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 CUP 1,536

$58.7 COP 209.5K

9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 CUP 837

$32.35 COP 115.5K

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CUP 2,079

$103 COP 366.4K

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CUP 2,674

$108 COP 387.2K

2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 CUP 21.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

84.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 CUP 19.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

110.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 CUP 17.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 CUP 15.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-9.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$314 CUP 7,545

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-88.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$330 CUP 7,920

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-72.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$39.79 CUP 955

$512 COP 1.8M

-92.23%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Palma Soriano versus $476 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 1186% 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 – $216 in Palma Soriano vs $188 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 55%, 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 $2,351 per month in Palma Soriano and $1,519 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 $1,568 in Palma Soriano and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Palma Soriano at $1,568. 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.