Quick answer: Medellín runs about EUR 45 per day mid-range - noticeably less if you eat local and walk. Cheapest window: December–March (drier); spring-like all year.
What things actually cost
| tinto (small black coffee) | 0.50 EUR |
| menu del dia lunch | 3.50 EUR |
| metro or Metrocable ride | 0.70 EUR |
| craft beer | 2.00 EUR |
| Uber 15 minutes | 2.50 EUR |
| fresh fruit juice | 1.20 EUR |
Eat well for little
- Bandeja paisathe mountain of beans, rice, chicharron, egg and arepa, 5-7 EUR at a traditional spot like Hacienda
- Menu del dia at any corner restaurantsoup, main, fresh juice for 3-4 EUR, the everyday local lunch
- Arepas de choclo from street cartssweet corn arepas with cheese for about 1 EUR
- Pergamino on Via Primaverathe benchmark Medellin specialty coffee, pour-over around 2 EUR
- Mercado del Rio food halldozens of stalls from ceviche to burgers, mains 5-9 EUR
Money mistakes to avoid
- Dar papayaflashing your phone on the street or in taxis; keep it pocketed and stay aware, especially downtown and at night
- Never leaving the El Poblado bubbleLaureles, Envigado and the Metrocable lines show the city people actually live in
- Hailing cabs on the street at nightorder through Uber, InDrive or Cabify instead
- Planning outdoor days without a rain bufferafternoon downpours are routine, so do viewpoints and Guatape in the morning
Transport without the tourist tax
The Jose Maria Cordova airport sits 45-60 minutes outside the city; shared shuttle vans cost about 4-5 EUR and a taxi 20-22 EUR. In town the clean, safe Metro plus Metrocable costs about 0.70 EUR a ride, and Ubers rarely exceed 3 EUR.
Planning the full trip? Start with the 4-day Medellín itinerary.