Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Antiguo Cuscatlan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,213 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Antiguo Cuscatlan is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Antiguo Cuscatlan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Antiguo Cuscatlan 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 $8.14

$6.16 COP 20.1K

32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.27 $35.27

$32.60 COP 106.1K

8.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 $7.05

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$3.34 $3.34

$1.72 COP 5,600

94.19%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$1.05 COP 3,420

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.77 COP 2,515

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.69 COP 5,488

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.05 COP 3,423

77.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.30 COP 4,236

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.40 COP 4,544

6.43%

Eggs

$2.80 $2.80

$2.16 COP 7,047

29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 $7.24

$4.39 COP 14.3K

64.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$5.88 COP 19.1K

15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$8.64 COP 28.1K

24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.28 COP 7,426

38.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.11 COP 3,604

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.53 COP 4,983

68.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.35 COP 4,410

95.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.13 COP 3,674

96.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.13 COP 3,692

93.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.85 COP 2,753

12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.91 COP 2,975

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.34 COP 7,630

67.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 COP 3,909

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.49 COP 8,104

-4.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 $5.61

$1.42 COP 4,623

295.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.92 COP 6,235

57.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.95 $19.95

$7.66 COP 24.9K

160.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.99 COP 3,223

6.06%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

43.00%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

5.09%

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

$104 $104

$80.8 COP 263.1K

28.25%

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

$19.39 $19.39

$9.95 COP 32.4K

94.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.44 $41.44

$24.18 COP 78.7K

71.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 $5.23

$3.98 COP 13.0K

31.41%

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

$148 $148

$305 COP 993.5K

-51.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,033 $6,033

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

15.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.01 $43.01

$32.20 COP 104.8K

33.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 COP 327.9K

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$108 COP 350.8K

-4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 $605

$477 COP 1.6M

26.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

13.43

-36.11%

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

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $605 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Antiguo Cuscatlan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 37% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,130 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antiguo Cuscatlan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antiguo Cuscatlan, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Antiguo Cuscatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antiguo Cuscatlan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.