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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Varadero vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Varadero vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,380 per month in Varadero vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Varadero costs about 60% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Varadero sits 21% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.88 CUP 141

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 CUP 1,145

$32.86 COP 117.4K

45.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 CUP 220

$7.09 COP 25.3K

29.48%

Cappuccino

$1.03 CUP 24.66

$1.71 COP 6,115

-39.77%

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

$1.97 CUP 47.22

$1.10 COP 3,924

79.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CUP 22.24

$0.78 COP 2,781

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 CUP 91.2

$1.68 COP 5,997

126.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 CUP 63.8

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-13.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CUP 70.7

$1.09 COP 3,906

169.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 CUP 31.47

$1.26 COP 4,508

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.25

$1.38 COP 4,922

6.52%

Eggs

$2.44 CUP 58.5

$2.19 COP 7,827

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 CUP 147

$4.40 COP 15.7K

39.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 CUP 120

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 CUP 291

$8.89 COP 31.8K

36.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 CUP 118

$2.34 COP 8,349

110.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 CUP 13.85

$1.06 COP 3,777

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.52

$1.50 COP 5,374

-32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CUP 27.42

$1.38 COP 4,924

-17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 CUP 21.33

$1.15 COP 4,111

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$5.67 CUP 136

$1.16 COP 4,155

388.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 CUP 8.49

$0.89 COP 3,182

-60.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 CUP 13.09

$0.84 COP 2,997

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 CUP 91.1

$2.28 COP 8,145

66.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 CUP 137

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CUP 19.26

$1.20 COP 4,284

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 CUP 17.27

$2.47 COP 8,824

-70.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 CUP 477

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-51.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$1.47 COP 5,264

36.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.25

$1.96 COP 7,009

-48.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.13 CUP 483

$7.74 COP 27.6K

160.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CUP 31.78

$0.95 COP 3,409

38.95%

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

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

284.98%

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

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

196.09%

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

$39.63 CUP 951

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-51.82%

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

$39.25 CUP 942

$9.50 COP 33.9K

313.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$218 CUP 5,222

$24.23 COP 86.5K

798.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.30 CUP 967

$25.89 COP 92.4K

55.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 CUP 359

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-21.16%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.67

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-74.81%

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

$90.6 CUP 2,173

$309 COP 1.1M

-70.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

149.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.15 CUP 964

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-31.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.72 CUP 713

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-8.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 CUP 1,780

$103 COP 366.4K

-27.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 CUP 2,026

$108 COP 387.2K

-22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 CUP 9,687

$476 COP 1.7M

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 CUP 19.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

110.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 CUP 15.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

-11.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$387 CUP 9,293

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-86.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 CUP 8,437

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-70.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.62 CUP 471

$512 COP 1.8M

-96.17%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Varadero 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 2508% 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 $188 – 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 60%, 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 $2,427 per month in Varadero 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 $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 $1,618 in Varadero 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 Varadero at $1,618. 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.