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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $657 per month in Panajachel vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Panajachel vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,474 per month in Panajachel vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Panajachel is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Panajachel and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Panajachel 51% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 Q 34.54

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-23.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.92 Q 251

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 Q 47.56

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-16.02%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Q 20.09

$1.65 COP 5,207

59.39%

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

$1.22 Q 9.31

$1.10 COP 3,468

10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 7.00

$0.78 COP 2,458

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 Q 19.48

$1.72 COP 5,412

48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 Q 35.56

$3.18 COP 10.0K

46.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 Q 15.60

$1.10 COP 3,474

86.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Q 11.63

$1.26 COP 3,962

20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 Q 15.69

$1.38 COP 4,349

49.28%

Eggs

$1.81 Q 13.82

$2.18 COP 6,858

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Q 60.3

$4.49 COP 14.1K

76.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 Q 63.3

$5.79 COP 18.2K

43.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 Q 77.3

$8.97 COP 28.2K

12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 Q 26.97

$2.32 COP 7,308

52.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Q 11.92

$1.06 COP 3,352

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 Q 23.50

$1.52 COP 4,774

102.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 Q 8.65

$1.36 COP 4,270

-16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 Q 8.15

$1.13 COP 3,552

-5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 Q 17.92

$1.17 COP 3,689

100.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Q 5.07

$0.90 COP 2,838

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 Q 9.38

$0.90 COP 2,823

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 Q 27.00

$2.23 COP 7,034

58.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 Q 62.3

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 Q 12.35

$1.19 COP 3,743

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 Q 18.26

$2.48 COP 7,815

-3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 Q 40.68

$1.42 COP 4,459

276.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.55

$1.95 COP 6,141

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.41 Q 118

$7.89 COP 24.8K

95.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.48

$0.99 COP 3,118

12.12%

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

$19.2K Q 146.6K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

9.26%

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

$24.4K Q 186.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-8.98%

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

$33.06 Q 252

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-60.17%

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

$25.91 Q 198

$9.70 COP 30.5K

167.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.66 Q 363

$23.52 COP 74.1K

102.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 Q 54.4

$3.95 COP 12.4K

80.76%

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

$245 Q 1,865

$316 COP 994.2K

-22.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,813 Q 44.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.39 Q 377

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 409

$31.82 COP 100.2K

68.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Q 893

$102 COP 320.1K

15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Q 912

$107 COP 338.3K

11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 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 – $246 in Panajachel vs $193 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 52%, 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 $986 per month in Panajachel and $1,504 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 28% 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 $657, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.