Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $636 per month in Panajachel vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Panajachel vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,461 per month in Panajachel vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Panajachel is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Panajachel and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Panajachel 52% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 Q 34.72

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-23.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.57 Q 249

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 Q 47.58

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-13.61%

Cappuccino

$2.60 Q 19.88

$1.70 COP 6,186

52.94%

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

$1.17 Q 8.93

$1.10 COP 3,996

6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 7.05

$0.72 COP 2,625

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 Q 20.20

$1.67 COP 6,067

58.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 Q 34.76

$3.10 COP 11.3K

46.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 Q 15.58

$1.06 COP 3,837

92.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Q 11.82

$1.25 COP 4,531

23.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 Q 16.03

$1.39 COP 5,060

50.36%

Eggs

$1.77 Q 13.50

$2.26 COP 8,229

-21.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 Q 59.9

$4.33 COP 15.8K

80.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 Q 65.1

$5.84 COP 21.2K

45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 Q 76.7

$8.83 COP 32.1K

13.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Q 28.42

$2.24 COP 8,159

66.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.68

$1.08 COP 3,911

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 Q 23.27

$1.53 COP 5,563

98.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 Q 8.63

$1.37 COP 4,987

-17.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 Q 8.11

$1.13 COP 4,109

-6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 Q 17.39

$1.12 COP 4,067

102.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 Q 5.14

$0.85 COP 3,080

-21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 Q 9.04

$0.91 COP 3,305

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 Q 28.04

$2.33 COP 8,477

57.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 Q 64.0

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Q 12.74

$1.19 COP 4,342

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.55

$2.37 COP 8,617

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 Q 39.00

$1.44 COP 5,223

254.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 Q 4.97

$1.91 COP 6,952

-65.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.96 Q 122

$8.02 COP 29.2K

99.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 Q 8.11

$0.94 COP 3,410

12.77%

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

$19.6K Q 149.8K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

9.23%

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

$24.3K Q 185.6K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-9.42%

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

$33.15 Q 254

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-60.52%

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

$26.83 Q 205

$9.60 COP 34.9K

179.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.95 Q 359

$24.16 COP 87.9K

94.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 Q 54.4

$3.92 COP 14.2K

81.38%

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

$245 Q 1,872

$306 COP 1.1M

-20.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Q 44.3K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.85 Q 381

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 Q 409

$31.82 COP 115.7K

67.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Q 892

$99.9 COP 363.3K

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$107 COP 389.7K

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

13.43

-33.73%

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

Last update for Panajachel: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Panajachel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Panajachel vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Panajachel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, 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 $955 per month in Panajachel and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Panajachel and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panajachel, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Panajachel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Panajachel – 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 Panajachel. 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.