Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambatolampy and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambatolampy and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $485 in Ambatolampy versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Ambatolampy versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $960 in Ambatolampy versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Ambatolampy costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambatolampy is 65% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 MGA 12.2K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-65.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.57 MGA 45.8K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-78.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 MGA 25.4K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-37.90%

Cappuccino

$1.72 MGA 7,462

$2.94 COP 9,040

-41.50%

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

$0.84 MGA 3,627

$1.86 COP 5,735

-54.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MGA 2,018

$1.46 COP 4,479

-67.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 MGA 4,382

$3.21 COP 9,882

-68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 MGA 10.3K

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-58.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MGA 3,640

$1.44 COP 4,428

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,469

$2.40 COP 7,389

-57.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,242

$1.70 COP 5,228

-55.88%

Eggs

$2.06 MGA 8,921

$2.89 COP 8,896

-28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 MGA 38.1K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 MGA 19.7K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-54.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 MGA 21.4K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-65.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MGA 4,939

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-71.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,441

$1.58 COP 4,878

-64.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MGA 4,549

$2.15 COP 6,624

-51.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,871

$2.30 COP 7,078

-61.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,493

$2.00 COP 6,169

-71.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MGA 4,153

$1.51 COP 4,646

-36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,406

$1.20 COP 3,701

-73.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MGA 3,169

$1.28 COP 3,946

-42.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 MGA 7,124

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-57.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 MGA 22.7K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-62.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MGA 4,577

$1.71 COP 5,256

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MGA 8,265

$2.74 COP 8,440

-30.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 MGA 15.3K

$1.31 COP 4,016

169.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 MGA 8,925

$2.17 COP 6,680

-5.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 MGA 20.0K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-44.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MGA 3,635

$1.36 COP 4,172

-38.24%

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

$12.3K MGA 53.2M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-55.29%

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

$26.7K MGA 115.7M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-26.93%

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

$77.5 MGA 335.8K

$169 COP 519.2K

-54.06%

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

$17.12 MGA 74.2K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

26.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 MGA 251.3K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

104.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 MGA 25.4K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-11.88%

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

$26.15 MGA 113.3K

$803 COP 2.5M

-96.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

65.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 MGA 130.8K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-65.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.97 MGA 121.2K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-52.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 MGA 338.9K

$139 COP 427.5K

-43.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MGA 309.7K

$102 COP 314.0K

-29.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

10.94

43.97%

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

Last update for Ambatolampy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $11.00 in Ambatolampy vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $300 per month, with Ambatolampy 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

Ambatolampy vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 239% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $727 in Ambatolampy and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $26.15 in Ambatolampy versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ambatolampy – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $485 in Ambatolampy versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambatolampy but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ambatolampy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambatolampy delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $485 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambatolampy hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ambatolampy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 239% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.