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 $1,582 per month in Palma Soriano vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Palma Soriano vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,181 per month in Palma Soriano vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Palma Soriano is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Palma Soriano and Medellin sit above the global median – Palma Soriano by 15%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 CUP 117

$8.04 COP 25.1K

-39.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 CUP 606

$48.29 COP 150.7K

-47.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 CUP 121

$9.42 COP 29.4K

-46.60%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CUP 77.6

$2.94 COP 9,169

9.86%

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

$1.29 CUP 30.88

$1.86 COP 5,817

-30.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 CUP 21.16

$1.46 COP 4,543

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 CUP 70.8

$3.21 COP 10.0K

-8.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CUP 57.1

$5.71 COP 17.8K

-58.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CUP 47.10

$1.44 COP 4,491

36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CUP 34.37

$2.40 COP 7,494

-40.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$1.70 COP 5,302

-39.41%

Eggs

$1.22 CUP 29.25

$2.89 COP 9,022

-57.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 CUP 146

$10.06 COP 31.4K

-39.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 CUP 146

$9.97 COP 31.1K

-39.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 CUP 269

$14.20 COP 44.3K

-21.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 CUP 44.67

$3.98 COP 12.4K

-53.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CUP 29.11

$1.58 COP 4,947

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.22

$2.15 COP 6,718

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.70

$2.30 COP 7,178

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$2.00 COP 6,257

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.29

$1.51 COP 4,712

-35.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.36

$1.20 COP 3,754

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 CUP 25.73

$1.28 COP 4,002

-16.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 CUP 73.1

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 CUP 240

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-28.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CUP 71.2

$1.71 COP 5,331

73.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CUP 46.92

$2.74 COP 8,560

-28.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.75

$1.25 COP 3,888

-80.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 CUP 725

$77.9 COP 243.1K

-61.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 CUP 43.85

$1.31 COP 4,073

39.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 CUP 8.76

$2.17 COP 6,775

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 CUP 309

$8.29 COP 25.9K

55.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CUP 28.42

$1.36 COP 4,231

-13.24%

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

$65.7K CUP 1.6M

$27.5K COP 85.7M

138.96%

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

$46.7K CUP 1.1M

$36.5K COP 114.0M

27.91%

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

$55.2 CUP 1,325

$169 COP 526.6K

-67.28%

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

$10.15 CUP 244

$13.57 COP 42.4K

-25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 CUP 3,593

$28.32 COP 88.4K

428.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.60 CUP 974

$45.71 COP 142.7K

-11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 CUP 243

$17.22 COP 53.8K

-41.23%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.50

$6.65 COP 20.8K

-85.26%

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

$100 CUP 2,407

$803 COP 2.5M

-87.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CUP 285.6K

$9,190 COP 28.7M

29.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 CUP 1,549

$87.4 COP 272.7K

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 CUP 831

$59.4 COP 185.3K

-41.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CUP 2,006

$139 COP 433.6K

-39.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CUP 2,652

$102 COP 318.5K

8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 CUP 20.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 CUP 19.0K

$653 COP 2.0M

21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 CUP 17.8K

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 CUP 15.5K

$1,048 COP 3.3M

-38.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$322 CUP 7,737

$4,123 COP 12.9M

-92.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$326 CUP 7,818

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-80.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$40.19 CUP 964

$655 COP 2.0M

-93.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

10.94

-23.86%

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

Last update for Palma Soriano: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Palma Soriano versus $1,071 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 1530% higher in Medellin, 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 $25.00 in Palma Soriano versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $300 – making Palma Soriano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,374 per month in Palma Soriano and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palma Soriano, 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 $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 $1,582 in Palma Soriano and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palma Soriano, where all-in costs run around $1,582, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Palma Soriano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palma Soriano – 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 Palma Soriano. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.