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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,345 per month in Varadero vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Varadero vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,183 per month in Varadero vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Varadero is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Varadero sits 2% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 CUP 106

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-45.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.65 CUP 472

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-59.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 CUP 166

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-26.75%

Cappuccino

$1.55 CUP 37.31

$2.94 COP 9,040

-47.28%

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

$2.00 CUP 48.11

$1.86 COP 5,735

7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 CUP 21.96

$1.46 COP 4,479

-37.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 CUP 61.7

$3.21 COP 9,882

-19.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 CUP 83.7

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-38.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 CUP 70.7

$1.44 COP 4,428

104.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CUP 36.15

$2.40 COP 7,389

-37.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 CUP 34.77

$1.70 COP 5,228

-14.71%

Eggs

$2.15 CUP 51.5

$2.89 COP 8,896

-25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 CUP 140

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 CUP 109

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-54.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 CUP 280

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 CUP 81.7

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-14.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 CUP 24.13

$1.58 COP 4,878

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 CUP 37.64

$2.15 COP 6,624

-26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 CUP 38.43

$2.30 COP 7,078

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CUP 51.5

$2.00 COP 6,169

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 CUP 93.4

$1.51 COP 4,646

157.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 CUP 17.10

$1.20 COP 3,701

-40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 CUP 13.80

$1.28 COP 3,946

-55.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 CUP 90.8

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 CUP 133

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-60.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CUP 21.37

$1.71 COP 5,256

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CUP 50.4

$2.74 COP 8,440

-23.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 CUP 2.47

$1.25 COP 3,834

-92.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.38 CUP 369

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-80.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 CUP 47.48

$1.31 COP 4,016

51.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CUP 24.36

$2.17 COP 6,680

-53.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.04 CUP 481

$8.29 COP 25.5K

141.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CUP 31.93

$1.36 COP 4,172

-2.21%

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

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

154.97%

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

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

117.59%

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

$40.56 CUP 973

$169 COP 519.2K

-75.96%

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

$39.41 CUP 946

$13.57 COP 41.8K

190.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$220 CUP 5,269

$28.32 COP 87.2K

675.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.82 CUP 956

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-12.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 CUP 356

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.34

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-84.81%

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

$91.7 CUP 2,201

$803 COP 2.5M

-88.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

60.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 CUP 942

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-55.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 CUP 726

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-49.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 CUP 1,788

$139 COP 427.5K

-46.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 CUP 2,038

$102 COP 314.0K

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 CUP 12.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 CUP 13.6K

$653 COP 2.0M

-12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CUP 28.5K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 CUP 15.5K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-38.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$390 CUP 9,363

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-90.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$356 CUP 8,555

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-79.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.05 CUP 457

$655 COP 2.0M

-97.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

37.11%

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

Last update for Varadero: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Varadero versus $1,071 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 3338% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Varadero versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $300 – making Varadero 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,017 per month in Varadero and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varadero, 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 $20.00 in Varadero and $48.00 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 $1,345 in Varadero and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Varadero, where all-in costs run around $1,345, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Varadero it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varadero – 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 Varadero. 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.