Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,622 per month in Varadero vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Varadero vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Varadero vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Varadero costs about 57% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Varadero sits 21% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.86 CUP 141

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.14 CUP 1,155

$32.60 COP 106.1K

47.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 CUP 211

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.03%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.41

$1.72 COP 5,600

-43.02%

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

$1.99 CUP 47.68

$1.05 COP 3,420

89.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.73

$0.77 COP 2,515

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 CUP 88.3

$1.69 COP 5,488

117.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 CUP 61.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 CUP 71.7

$1.05 COP 3,423

184.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 CUP 29.83

$1.30 COP 4,236

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 CUP 36.03

$1.40 COP 4,544

7.14%

Eggs

$2.41 CUP 57.8

$2.16 COP 7,047

11.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 CUP 148

$4.39 COP 14.3K

40.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 CUP 122

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-13.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 CUP 286

$8.64 COP 28.1K

38.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 CUP 120

$2.28 COP 7,426

118.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 CUP 13.79

$1.11 COP 3,604

-48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$1.53 COP 4,983

-35.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CUP 27.28

$1.35 COP 4,410

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 CUP 22.05

$1.13 COP 3,674

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$5.48 CUP 132

$1.13 COP 3,692

384.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 CUP 9.19

$0.85 COP 2,753

-55.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 CUP 13.75

$0.91 COP 2,975

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 CUP 86.5

$2.34 COP 7,630

54.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 CUP 136

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-54.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.92

$1.20 COP 3,909

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 CUP 18.60

$2.49 COP 8,104

-69.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.93 CUP 478

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-50.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 CUP 49.39

$1.42 COP 4,623

45.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 CUP 23.39

$1.92 COP 6,235

-49.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.18 CUP 484

$7.66 COP 24.9K

163.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CUP 31.95

$0.99 COP 3,223

34.34%

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

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

281.05%

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

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

194.53%

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

$39.57 CUP 950

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-51.03%

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

$39.46 CUP 947

$9.95 COP 32.4K

296.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$24.18 COP 78.7K

803.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 CUP 954

$25.08 COP 81.7K

58.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 CUP 362

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-21.25%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.68

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-75.13%

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

$90.8 CUP 2,178

$305 COP 993.5K

-70.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

148.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.74 CUP 954

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-31.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.60 CUP 734

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 CUP 1,776

$101 COP 327.9K

-26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 CUP 2,069

$108 COP 350.8K

-19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 CUP 9,766

$477 COP 1.6M

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 CUP 19.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

111.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 CUP 15.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-12.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$389 CUP 9,342

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-87.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,529

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-74.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.38 CUP 465

$617 COP 2.0M

-96.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Varadero: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Varadero 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 3083% 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 $48.00 in Varadero versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Varadero vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varadero is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,433 per month in Varadero 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 $48.00 in Varadero 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 $1,622 in Varadero 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 Varadero at $1,622. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varadero 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.

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