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: $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 25% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 5% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 Q 39.04

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-14.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 Q 405

$32.86 COP 117.4K

61.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 Q 49.49

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-8.46%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Q 25.90

$1.71 COP 6,115

98.83%

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

$1.22 Q 9.31

$1.10 COP 3,924

10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 6.98

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 Q 29.46

$1.68 COP 5,997

130.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 Q 35.08

$3.07 COP 11.0K

49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 Q 14.79

$1.09 COP 3,906

77.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$1.26 COP 4,508

144.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.52

$1.38 COP 4,922

18.84%

Eggs

$2.55 Q 19.45

$2.19 COP 7,827

16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 Q 58.3

$4.40 COP 15.7K

73.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 Q 64.6

$5.63 COP 20.1K

50.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.3

$8.89 COP 31.8K

15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 Q 27.85

$2.34 COP 8,349

55.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Q 11.91

$1.06 COP 3,777

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$1.50 COP 5,374

105.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.59

$1.38 COP 4,924

19.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 Q 13.39

$1.15 COP 4,111

53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Q 13.15

$1.16 COP 4,155

49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.89 COP 3,182

-16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 Q 9.34

$0.84 COP 2,997

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 Q 27.50

$2.28 COP 8,145

58.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 Q 12.87

$1.20 COP 4,284

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.48

$2.47 COP 8,824

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 Q 15.03

$0.86 COP 3,056

129.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 Q 35.60

$1.47 COP 5,264

217.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 Q 117

$7.74 COP 27.6K

98.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.52

$0.95 COP 3,409

17.89%

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

$19.6K Q 149.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

8.13%

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

$22.1K Q 168.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.64%

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

$48.43 Q 369

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-41.12%

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

$26.09 Q 199

$9.50 COP 33.9K

174.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.90 Q 373

$24.23 COP 86.5K

101.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 Q 308

$25.89 COP 92.4K

55.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.77 Q 212

$19.00 COP 67.9K

46.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 Q 55.7

$3.93 COP 14.0K

86.01%

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

$246 Q 1,878

$309 COP 1.1M

-20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 Q 44.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.64 Q 355

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 409

$32.35 COP 115.5K

65.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 771

$103 COP 366.4K

-1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Q 639

$108 COP 387.2K

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 Q 6,701

$476 COP 1.7M

84.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Q 4,237

$379 COP 1.4M

46.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 Q 15.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

139.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 Q 9,503

$724 COP 2.6M

72.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Q 22.8K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

6.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 Q 9,312

$1,211 COP 4.3M

0.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 Q 4,104

$512 COP 1.8M

5.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

13.43

-36.71%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $879 in Antigua Guatemala and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antigua Guatemala pays 5% 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: $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 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

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

Antigua Guatemala and Medellin differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,267 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Antigua Guatemala pays 5% 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: $879 in Antigua Guatemala versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Antigua Guatemala versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. 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, 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.