Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Apia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Apia versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,534 in Apia versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,097 in Apia versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Apia costs roughly 3% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Apia 27% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 145

$5.91 COP 18.6K

796.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.35 WST 96.6

$32.96 COP 103.8K

7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.72 WST 37.49

$7.43 COP 23.4K

84.66%

Cappuccino

$2.46 WST 6.73

$1.65 COP 5,207

49.09%

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

$2.04 WST 5.56

$1.10 COP 3,468

85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 WST 3.59

$0.78 COP 2,458

67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.20 WST 11.49

$1.72 COP 5,412

144.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 WST 9.46

$3.18 COP 10.0K

8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 WST 5.02

$1.10 COP 3,474

67.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 WST 2.15

$1.26 COP 3,962

-37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.96

$1.38 COP 4,349

31.88%

Eggs

$4.26 WST 11.64

$2.18 COP 6,858

95.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.93 WST 2.54

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-79.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 WST 9.59

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-39.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 WST 22.12

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-9.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 WST 13.90

$2.32 COP 7,308

119.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 WST 5.02

$1.06 COP 3,352

73.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.01

$1.52 COP 4,774

20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 WST 11.99

$1.36 COP 4,270

222.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 WST 9.90

$1.13 COP 3,552

220.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 WST 2.85

$1.17 COP 3,689

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.26

$0.90 COP 2,823

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 WST 16.55

$2.23 COP 7,034

171.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.39 WST 44.77

$12.12 COP 38.2K

35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 WST 4.95

$1.19 COP 3,743

52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 WST 9.68

$2.48 COP 7,815

42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 WST 10.00

$0.85 COP 2,687

330.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 WST 14.71

$1.42 COP 4,459

278.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.59 WST 59.0

$7.89 COP 24.8K

173.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.84

$0.99 COP 3,118

5.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$17.60 WST 48.07

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-78.80%

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

$17.76 WST 48.53

$9.70 COP 30.5K

83.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.95 WST 98.2

$23.52 COP 74.1K

52.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 WST 137

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 WST 108

$31.82 COP 100.2K

24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 WST 208

$102 COP 320.1K

-25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 WST 272

$107 COP 338.3K

-7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 WST 5,069

$719 COP 2.3M

157.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Apia: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Apia vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $193 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

Apia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,456 in Apia and $1,504 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.

All in, you'll spend $971 per month in Apia versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $971 in Apia versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $971 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.