Cost of Living Comparison Between Petropolis and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Petropolis and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Petropolis vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,203 per month in Petropolis vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Petropolis vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Petropolis is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petropolis and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Petropolis 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.21 R$31.57

$6.00 COP 20.6K

3.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.82 R$126

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 R$33.98

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$1.77 R$9.01

$1.65 COP 5,659

7.27%

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

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.07 COP 3,663

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 R$2.76

$0.76 COP 2,607

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 R$5.57

$1.72 COP 5,908

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 R$11.76

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-27.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.05 COP 3,597

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.35

$1.31 COP 4,479

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.64

$1.34 COP 4,591

-2.24%

Eggs

$1.82 R$9.25

$2.19 COP 7,521

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 R$41.61

$4.41 COP 15.1K

85.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 R$19.06

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 R$38.19

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.00

$2.34 COP 8,023

-41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.63

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.84

$1.52 COP 5,210

-50.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.96

$1.37 COP 4,680

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.15 COP 3,950

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.87

$1.18 COP 4,043

-18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 R$2.40

$0.84 COP 2,885

-44.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 R$2.76

$0.86 COP 2,931

-37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 R$10.33

$2.26 COP 7,753

-10.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 R$30.37

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.20 COP 4,109

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 R$7.41

$2.48 COP 8,484

-41.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.07

$0.79 COP 2,721

26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 R$231

$40.83 COP 139.9K

11.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.47 COP 5,023

-27.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.36

$1.92 COP 6,568

-65.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.07 R$35.99

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.31

$1.01 COP 3,464

2.97%

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

$13.5K R$68.7K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

-23.57%

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

$17.7K R$90.1K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-33.08%

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

$62.8 R$319

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-22.60%

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

$10.73 R$54.6

$9.43 COP 32.3K

13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.59 R$89.5

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-26.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 R$132

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.27 R$179

$18.71 COP 64.1K

88.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 R$29.86

$4.09 COP 14.0K

43.52%

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

$189 R$961

$315 COP 1.1M

-39.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,809 R$24.5K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

-20.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.80 R$192

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-36.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.91 R$162

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 R$430

$101 COP 346.9K

-16.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 R$294

$105 COP 360.3K

-44.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 R$1,807

$485 COP 1.7M

-26.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 R$980

$365 COP 1.3M

-47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 R$2,721

$827 COP 2.8M

-35.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 R$2,116

$730 COP 2.5M

-43.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,586 R$13.2K

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-13.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,789 R$9,100

$1,314 COP 4.5M

36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 R$3,133

$551 COP 1.9M

11.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

13.43

-13.63%

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

Last update for Petropolis: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Petropolis versus $485 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 12% higher in Petropolis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Petropolis versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $161 vs $190 – making Petropolis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Petropolis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,098 per month in Petropolis and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petropolis, 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 Petropolis and $33.00 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 $732 in Petropolis and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Petropolis, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Petropolis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Petropolis – 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 Petropolis. 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.