Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Popayan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $805 per month in Popayan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Popayan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Popayan vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Popayan is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Popayan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Popayan 40% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-33.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.01 COP 85.7K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 COP 25.6K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

1.27%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 5,406

$1.71 COP 6,115

-11.70%

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

$0.86 COP 3,073

$1.10 COP 3,924

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,069

$0.78 COP 2,781

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,101

$1.68 COP 5,997

-31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 7,573

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,757

$1.09 COP 3,906

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,447

$1.26 COP 4,508

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,199

$1.38 COP 4,922

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,887

$2.19 COP 7,827

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 COP 16.2K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 COP 18.5K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,678

$2.34 COP 8,349

3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,818

$1.06 COP 3,777

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,843

$1.50 COP 5,374

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,022

$1.38 COP 4,924

-38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,980

$1.15 COP 4,111

-3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,009

$1.16 COP 4,155

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,149

$0.89 COP 3,182

-1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,279

$0.84 COP 2,997

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,264

$2.28 COP 8,145

1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 COP 37.1K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 4,046

$1.20 COP 4,284

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 6,437

$2.47 COP 8,824

-27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,461

$0.86 COP 3,056

-19.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 COP 105.9K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-28.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,214

$1.47 COP 5,264

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 6,104

$1.96 COP 7,009

-12.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 COP 21.9K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-20.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,543

$0.95 COP 3,409

4.21%

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

$17.9K COP 63.9M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-1.37%

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

$25.5K COP 91.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-3.56%

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

$83.5 COP 298.2K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

1.53%

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

$8.86 COP 31.6K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-6.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 COP 81.6K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-5.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.53 COP 84.0K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-9.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$241 COP 861.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-22.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,042 COP 21.6M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 COP 208.4K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 COP 117.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 COP 296.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-19.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 COP 259.8K

$108 COP 387.2K

-32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 1.0M

$476 COP 1.7M

-40.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 863.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-36.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 COP 1.9M

$838 COP 3.0M

-37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 COP 1.5M

$724 COP 2.6M

-41.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,434 COP 5.1M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-48.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,260 COP 4.5M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

4.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

13.43

-1.86%

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

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Popayan versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Popayan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $188 – making Popayan 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

Popayan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,207 per month in Popayan and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, 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 $24.00 in Popayan 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 $805 in Popayan and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $805, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popayan – 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 Popayan. 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.