Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Antigua Guatemala costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Antigua Guatemala is 2% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 Q 53.2

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 Q 394

$48.26 COP 151.7K

7.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 Q 58.8

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-21.08%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.21

$2.91 COP 9,149

18.21%

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

$1.11 Q 8.50

$1.94 COP 6,110

-42.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Q 6.48

$1.52 COP 4,783

-44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.13

$3.09 COP 9,721

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.93

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-15.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 Q 15.38

$1.36 COP 4,287

48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 Q 22.31

$2.39 COP 7,505

22.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.51

$1.70 COP 5,346

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.30

$2.87 COP 9,021

-11.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 Q 41.98

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-44.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 Q 69.7

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.4

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 Q 29.97

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-3.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.90

$1.57 COP 4,940

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Q 21.44

$2.13 COP 6,682

31.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.16

$2.21 COP 6,959

-28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$2.05 COP 6,435

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.10

$1.50 COP 4,728

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.66

$1.19 COP 3,740

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Q 8.75

$1.16 COP 3,640

-0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.52

$3.90 COP 12.2K

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 Q 61.4

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-44.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.78

$1.58 COP 4,978

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 Q 20.47

$2.83 COP 8,889

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$1.17 COP 3,672

74.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 Q 34.88

$1.28 COP 4,038

257.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.38 Q 79.2

$8.62 COP 27.1K

20.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.26

$1.30 COP 4,080

-6.92%

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

$23.0K Q 175.6K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-16.78%

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

$21.7K Q 165.7K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-38.81%

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

$63.5 Q 484

$176 COP 553.4K

-63.96%

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

$29.10 Q 222

$13.37 COP 42.0K

117.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.90 Q 343

$29.89 COP 94.0K

50.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 Q 390

$44.76 COP 140.7K

14.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.29 Q 208

$17.06 COP 53.6K

59.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 Q 47.51

$6.20 COP 19.5K

0.48%

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

$337 Q 2,573

$793 COP 2.5M

-57.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 Q 51.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-24.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.45 Q 339

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-48.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 Q 360

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 Q 709

$136 COP 428.4K

-31.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 Q 687

$103 COP 324.1K

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Q 6,924

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 Q 4,349

$680 COP 2.1M

-16.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 Q 15.3K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-0.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 Q 9,659

$1,169 COP 3.7M

8.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 Q 22.6K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-27.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 Q 9,027

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-30.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 Q 4,122

$665 COP 2.1M

-18.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

10.94

6.22%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Antigua Guatemala and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 23% 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: $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $303, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.

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

Antigua Guatemala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antigua Guatemala and Medellin differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $1,716 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $908 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $337 in Antigua Guatemala versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antigua Guatemala – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Antigua Guatemala 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, Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.