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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,308 per month in Popayan vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Popayan vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,778 per month in Popayan vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Popayan is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Popayan sits 5% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 COP 20.5K

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-18.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 COP 120.9K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-20.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 COP 28.0K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-8.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,247

$2.91 COP 9,167

1.03%

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

$1.46 COP 4,604

$1.94 COP 6,122

-24.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,612

$1.52 COP 4,792

-45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 COP 7,333

$3.09 COP 9,740

-24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 COP 13.1K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 COP 4,392

$1.36 COP 4,296

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 7,950

$2.39 COP 7,519

5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,311

$1.70 COP 5,356

-19.41%

Eggs

$2.93 COP 9,220

$2.87 COP 9,038

2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 COP 23.3K

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-25.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 COP 34.4K

$10.78 COP 34.0K

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 COP 41.2K

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,828

$1.57 COP 4,950

-2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,157

$2.13 COP 6,695

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,373

$2.21 COP 6,972

-8.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,537

$2.05 COP 6,447

-29.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,058

$1.50 COP 4,737

7.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,141

$1.19 COP 3,747

-15.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,135

$1.16 COP 3,647

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 COP 12.9K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 COP 48.0K

$14.44 COP 45.5K

5.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,170

$1.58 COP 4,987

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 COP 8,866

$2.83 COP 8,905

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 COP 3,080

$1.17 COP 3,679

-16.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 COP 5,533

$1.28 COP 4,045

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 COP 6,535

$2.09 COP 6,589

-0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 COP 27.7K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,258

$1.30 COP 4,088

3.85%

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

$22.1K COP 69.6M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-20.06%

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

$34.8K COP 109.7M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-1.91%

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

$117 COP 368.4K

$176 COP 554.5K

-33.55%

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

$11.88 COP 37.4K

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 COP 107.2K

$29.89 COP 94.1K

13.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-28.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 COP 21.0K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

7.74%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$793 COP 2.5M

-14.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,426 COP 20.2M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-28.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.7K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 COP 177.0K

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-3.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 COP 418.8K

$136 COP 429.3K

-2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 308.4K

$103 COP 324.7K

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 COP 2.2M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-33.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.4M

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 COP 2.9M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 COP 2.7M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-26.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 COP 6.7M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-48.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,654 COP 5.2M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-2.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

10.94

5.85%

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

Last update for Popayan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $708 in Popayan versus $1,060 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 $38.00 in Popayan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $303 – 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 31%, 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 $1,962 per month in Popayan and $2,574 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 $38.00 in Popayan 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 7% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,308, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.