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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Panajachel vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,251 per month in Panajachel vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,752 per month in Panajachel vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Panajachel is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Panajachel sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 Q 52.7

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-13.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 Q 377

$47.87 COP 149.4K

3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 Q 61.1

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-19.01%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Q 26.34

$3.13 COP 9,767

10.54%

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

$1.11 Q 8.45

$1.91 COP 5,954

-41.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.31

$1.51 COP 4,712

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 Q 25.35

$3.12 COP 9,747

6.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.89

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-15.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 Q 15.77

$1.44 COP 4,509

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 Q 21.40

$2.49 COP 7,759

12.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 Q 15.63

$1.77 COP 5,535

15.82%

Eggs

$2.50 Q 19.05

$2.96 COP 9,235

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 Q 47.17

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-38.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 Q 70.0

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 Q 102

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 Q 29.17

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-7.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.05

$1.61 COP 5,019

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 Q 21.98

$2.25 COP 7,007

28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.47

$2.25 COP 7,028

-27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.70

$2.04 COP 6,375

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Q 16.00

$1.54 COP 4,790

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.67

$1.17 COP 3,651

-36.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Q 8.91

$1.31 COP 4,077

-10.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 Q 30.75

$3.90 COP 12.2K

3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 Q 63.3

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-40.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Q 13.17

$1.74 COP 5,439

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 Q 20.64

$2.87 COP 8,956

-5.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 Q 38.90

$1.31 COP 4,084

289.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.63 Q 81.0

$8.71 COP 27.2K

22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 Q 9.71

$1.37 COP 4,260

-7.30%

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

$27.9K Q 212.5K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

0.16%

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

$25.6K Q 195.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-28.38%

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

$77.1 Q 588

$177 COP 553.2K

-56.51%

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

$29.13 Q 222

$13.88 COP 43.3K

109.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.24 Q 352

$29.72 COP 92.8K

55.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 Q 48.38

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-4.51%

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

$343 Q 2,616

$813 COP 2.5M

-57.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 Q 50.8K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-27.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 Q 353

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-48.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 Q 361

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-19.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 Q 843

$138 COP 431.2K

-19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Q 876

$102 COP 318.7K

12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

10.94

6.22%

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

Last update for Panajachel: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Panajachel versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Panajachel vs $305 in Medellin – so Panajachel 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 124%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,125 per month in Panajachel and $2,521 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 $49.00 in Panajachel and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panajachel, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.