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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,246 per month in Roseau vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,072 per month in Roseau vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,899 per month in Roseau vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Roseau costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roseau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roseau 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 EC$20.32

$6.16 COP 20.1K

22.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 EC$151

$32.60 COP 106.1K

71.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 EC$18.31

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-7.63%

Cappuccino

$4.19 EC$11.31

$1.72 COP 5,599

143.60%

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

$2.42 EC$6.52

$1.05 COP 3,420

130.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 EC$6.16

$0.77 COP 2,515

196.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 EC$5.11

$1.69 COP 5,487

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 EC$7.05

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-17.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.00 EC$8.09

$1.05 COP 3,423

185.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 EC$4.49

$1.30 COP 4,236

27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 EC$2.63

$1.40 COP 4,544

-30.71%

Eggs

$5.56 EC$15.02

$2.16 COP 7,046

157.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.27 EC$6.13

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-48.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 EC$28.38

$5.88 COP 19.1K

78.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 EC$32.84

$8.64 COP 28.1K

40.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 EC$16.63

$2.28 COP 7,425

170.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 EC$6.01

$1.11 COP 3,603

100.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.82 EC$13.00

$1.53 COP 4,982

215.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 EC$13.94

$1.35 COP 4,410

282.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 EC$8.77

$1.13 COP 3,674

187.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 EC$8.13

$1.13 COP 3,692

166.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 EC$5.77

$0.85 COP 2,753

151.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 EC$7.84

$0.91 COP 2,975

218.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 EC$30.41

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 EC$7.33

$1.20 COP 3,909

125.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 EC$7.96

$2.49 COP 8,104

18.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 EC$85.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-21.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$1.42 COP 4,623

154.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.78 EC$10.20

$1.92 COP 6,235

96.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 EC$27.17

$7.66 COP 24.9K

31.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 EC$3.46

$0.99 COP 3,223

29.29%

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

$33.2K EC$89.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

84.40%

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

$29.3K EC$79.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

9.94%

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

$140 EC$378

$80.8 COP 263.1K

73.10%

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

$42.21 EC$114

$9.95 COP 32.4K

324.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 EC$151

$24.18 COP 78.7K

131.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.14 EC$125

$25.08 COP 81.6K

83.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.85 EC$61.7

$19.15 COP 62.3K

19.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 EC$22.68

$3.98 COP 13.0K

111.06%

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

$110 EC$296

$305 COP 993.4K

-64.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 EC$9,076

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-44.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 EC$212

$58.1 COP 189.2K

34.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.89 EC$127

$32.20 COP 104.8K

45.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 EC$271

$101 COP 327.9K

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 EC$247

$108 COP 350.8K

-15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 EC$756

$477 COP 1.6M

-41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 EC$553

$376 COP 1.2M

-45.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 EC$2,383

$845 COP 2.7M

4.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 EC$1,686

$730 COP 2.4M

-14.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$125 EC$339

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-96.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$57.3 EC$155

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-95.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 EC$1,291

$617 COP 2.0M

-22.47%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Roseau versus $477 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 29% 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 $56.0 in Roseau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $193 – 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 21%, 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 $1,869 per month in Roseau and $1,546 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 $56.0 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 $1,246 in Roseau and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Roseau at $1,246. 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.