Cost of Living Comparison Between Acosta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Acosta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,601 in Acosta versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,400 in Acosta versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,200 in Acosta versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Acosta is roughly 58% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Acosta is 20% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₡4,481

$5.99 COP 21.3K

63.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₡23.2K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

54.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 ₡4,501

$7.09 COP 25.2K

38.93%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₡1,760

$1.71 COP 6,093

125.15%

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

$2.04 ₡934

$1.10 COP 3,910

85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₡749

$0.78 COP 2,771

110.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₡1,391

$1.68 COP 5,976

81.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,112

$3.07 COP 10.9K

50.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡928

$1.09 COP 3,892

86.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,261

$1.26 COP 4,492

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,010

$1.38 COP 4,905

60.14%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,321

$2.19 COP 7,799

31.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 ₡4,576

$4.40 COP 15.7K

127.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 ₡4,278

$5.63 COP 20.0K

66.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,360

$8.89 COP 31.6K

56.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,026

$2.34 COP 8,319

89.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.06 COP 3,764

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,928

$1.50 COP 5,355

181.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 ₡1,454

$1.38 COP 4,906

130.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$1.15 COP 4,097

199.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₡1,389

$1.16 COP 4,141

162.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡435

$0.89 COP 3,170

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,279

$0.84 COP 2,986

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 ₡2,217

$2.28 COP 8,116

112.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 ₡7,067

$10.64 COP 37.9K

45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₡1,077

$1.20 COP 4,268

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,194

$2.47 COP 8,793

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡448

$0.86 COP 3,045

13.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 ₡11.4K

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-39.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡818

$1.47 COP 5,245

21.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡808

$1.96 COP 6,984

-9.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 ₡3,540

$7.74 COP 27.5K

0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₡638

$0.95 COP 3,397

47.37%

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

$37.1K ₡17.0M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

104.79%

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

23.30%

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

$93.0 ₡42.5K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

13.12%

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

$25.56 ₡11.7K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

169.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 ₡24.4K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

120.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₡25.6K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

116.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.8K

$19.00 COP 67.6K

24.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 ₡4,452

$3.93 COP 14.0K

147.84%

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

$525 ₡239.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

112.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.7K

$58.7 COP 208.7K

6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡23.4K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

58.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡58.1K

$103 COP 365.1K

24.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.6K

$108 COP 385.8K

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₡348.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₡273.0K

$379 COP 1.3M

57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 ₡697.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

82.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₡445.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

34.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,977 ₡903.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-29.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 ₡688.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

194.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for Acosta: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Acosta and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 194% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Acosta vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Acosta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acosta and Medellin differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,601 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Acosta pays 194% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $763 in Acosta versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Acosta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,601 in Acosta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Acosta. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Acosta and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.