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 $744 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,656 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan vs $2,192 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 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.07 $8.07

$5.99 COP 21.4K

34.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 $34.61

$32.86 COP 117.4K

5.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 $7.04

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.26 $3.26

$1.71 COP 6,115

90.64%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$1.10 COP 3,924

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.78 COP 2,781

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 COP 5,997

17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.09 COP 3,906

72.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.26 COP 4,508

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.38 COP 4,922

13.04%

Eggs

$2.80 $2.80

$2.19 COP 7,827

27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$4.40 COP 15.7K

57.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.63 COP 20.1K

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$8.89 COP 31.8K

20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.34 COP 8,349

38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.06 COP 3,777

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.50 COP 5,374

72.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.38 COP 4,924

95.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.15 COP 4,111

95.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.16 COP 4,155

81.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.89 COP 3,182

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.84 COP 2,997

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.28 COP 8,145

80.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$10.64 COP 38.0K

4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.20 COP 4,284

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.47 COP 8,824

1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.47 COP 5,264

284.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.96 COP 7,009

58.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.94 $19.94

$7.74 COP 27.6K

157.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.95 COP 3,409

5.26%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

40.08%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

4.59%

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

$105 $105

$82.3 COP 293.7K

27.38%

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

$19.31 $19.31

$9.50 COP 33.9K

103.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 $41.39

$24.23 COP 86.5K

70.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 $5.22

$3.93 COP 14.0K

32.82%

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

$144 $144

$309 COP 1.1M

-53.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 $5,955

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$58.7 COP 209.5K

16.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 $42.63

$32.35 COP 115.5K

31.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$103 COP 366.4K

13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$108 COP 387.2K

-3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$476 COP 1.7M

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $591 in Antiguo Cuscatlan versus $476 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: $257 vs $188 – 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: $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 36% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,115 per month in Antiguo Cuscatlan and $1,519 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 36% 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 $744, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $744 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $1,013 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.