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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $659 per month in Panajachel vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Panajachel vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,464 per month in Panajachel vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Panajachel is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Panajachel and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Panajachel 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 Q 34.02

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-24.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.42 Q 247

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 Q 48.64

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-11.62%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Q 20.04

$1.63 COP 5,687

61.35%

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

$1.17 Q 8.93

$1.09 COP 3,821

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 Q 7.34

$0.73 COP 2,548

31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 Q 19.47

$1.74 COP 6,065

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 Q 35.23

$3.23 COP 11.3K

43.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 Q 16.04

$1.05 COP 3,662

100.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 Q 12.09

$1.29 COP 4,515

23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 Q 16.17

$1.32 COP 4,617

60.61%

Eggs

$1.75 Q 13.36

$2.27 COP 7,927

-22.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 Q 59.5

$4.35 COP 15.2K

79.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 Q 63.9

$5.88 COP 20.5K

42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 Q 76.3

$8.61 COP 30.0K

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Q 27.88

$2.25 COP 7,844

62.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Q 11.95

$1.07 COP 3,733

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 Q 23.53

$1.52 COP 5,322

103.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 Q 8.86

$1.42 COP 4,964

-18.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Q 8.44

$1.17 COP 4,084

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Q 18.16

$1.17 COP 4,077

104.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 Q 5.07

$0.89 COP 3,096

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Q 9.46

$0.90 COP 3,146

37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 Q 28.12

$2.25 COP 7,837

64.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 Q 63.3

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 Q 12.69

$1.14 COP 3,977

46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 Q 18.93

$2.38 COP 8,301

4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 Q 40.86

$1.41 COP 4,912

280.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 Q 4.64

$1.90 COP 6,634

-67.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 Q 117

$7.75 COP 27.0K

98.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 Q 8.38

$1.01 COP 3,509

8.91%

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

$19.4K Q 147.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

10.50%

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

$24.5K Q 186.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-7.61%

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

$33.74 Q 257

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-59.68%

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

$26.67 Q 203

$9.45 COP 33.0K

182.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.71 Q 363

$24.11 COP 84.1K

97.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 Q 56.1

$4.10 COP 14.3K

79.76%

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

$242 Q 1,842

$312 COP 1.1M

-22.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,885 Q 44.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.80 Q 379

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-14.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 Q 399

$32.56 COP 113.6K

60.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Q 893

$99.6 COP 347.7K

17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Q 945

$109 COP 378.8K

14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Panajachel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 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 54%, 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 $988 per month in Panajachel and $1,525 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 $32.00 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 31% 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 $659, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.