Cost of Living Comparison Between Roseau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Roseau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Roseau vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Roseau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,887 per month in Roseau vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Roseau costs about 18% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roseau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roseau 11% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 EC$19.84

$5.99 COP 21.4K

22.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 EC$148

$32.86 COP 117.4K

66.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 EC$17.94

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-6.35%

Cappuccino

$4.06 EC$10.96

$1.71 COP 6,115

137.43%

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

$2.46 EC$6.64

$1.10 COP 3,924

123.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$0.78 COP 2,781

187.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 EC$4.89

$1.68 COP 5,997

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 EC$6.95

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-16.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 EC$8.17

$1.09 COP 3,906

177.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 EC$4.67

$1.26 COP 4,508

37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 EC$2.40

$1.38 COP 4,922

-35.51%

Eggs

$5.42 EC$14.64

$2.19 COP 7,827

147.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.24 EC$6.04

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-49.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.27 EC$27.73

$5.63 COP 20.1K

82.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.20 EC$32.94

$8.89 COP 31.8K

37.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.35 EC$17.13

$2.34 COP 8,349

171.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 EC$5.95

$1.06 COP 3,777

107.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 EC$12.98

$1.50 COP 5,374

220.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 EC$14.21

$1.38 COP 4,924

281.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 EC$8.85

$1.15 COP 4,111

185.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 EC$8.38

$1.16 COP 4,155

167.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 EC$5.79

$0.89 COP 3,182

140.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 EC$7.61

$0.84 COP 2,997

235.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 EC$30.26

$10.64 COP 38.0K

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 EC$7.50

$1.20 COP 4,284

131.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 EC$7.96

$2.47 COP 8,824

19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.06 EC$86.6

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-22.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 EC$9.83

$1.47 COP 5,264

147.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.74 EC$10.10

$1.96 COP 7,009

90.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 EC$28.16

$7.74 COP 27.6K

34.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 EC$3.64

$0.95 COP 3,409

42.11%

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

$33.5K EC$90.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

85.01%

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

$29.8K EC$80.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

12.47%

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

$140 EC$377

$82.3 COP 293.7K

69.70%

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

$41.84 EC$113

$9.50 COP 33.9K

340.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 EC$154

$24.23 COP 86.5K

134.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.52 EC$126

$25.89 COP 92.4K

79.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 EC$62.5

$19.00 COP 67.9K

21.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.41 EC$22.71

$3.93 COP 14.0K

113.99%

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

$109 EC$294

$309 COP 1.1M

-64.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,278 EC$8,850

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-45.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 EC$212

$58.7 COP 209.5K

34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.74 EC$126

$32.35 COP 115.5K

44.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 EC$263

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 EC$245

$108 COP 387.2K

-16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 EC$759

$476 COP 1.7M

-40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 EC$539

$379 COP 1.4M

-47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 EC$2,432

$838 COP 3.0M

7.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 EC$1,679

$724 COP 2.6M

-14.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$123 EC$331

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-95.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$57.3 EC$155

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-95.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 EC$1,311

$512 COP 1.8M

-5.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

13.43

-43.41%

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

Last update for Roseau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Roseau 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.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Medellin, 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 $55.0 in Roseau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Roseau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Roseau is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,799 per month in Roseau 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 Medellin, 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 $55.0 in Roseau 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 $1,199 in Roseau and $1,013 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Roseau at $1,199. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roseau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Roseau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.