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: $1,000 in Apia versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Apia versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 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 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 143

$5.92 COP 21.2K

795.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.10 WST 97.5

$33.17 COP 118.7K

8.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 WST 37.67

$7.25 COP 25.9K

92.41%

Cappuccino

$2.49 WST 6.73

$1.71 COP 6,137

45.61%

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

$1.99 WST 5.37

$1.09 COP 3,915

82.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 WST 3.56

$0.77 COP 2,743

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 WST 11.39

$1.75 COP 6,254

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 WST 9.45

$3.18 COP 11.4K

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 WST 4.74

$1.06 COP 3,792

65.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 WST 2.24

$1.30 COP 4,657

-36.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.72

$1.38 COP 4,926

26.81%

Eggs

$4.27 WST 11.54

$2.21 COP 7,908

93.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.88 WST 2.37

$4.52 COP 16.2K

-80.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 WST 9.36

$5.80 COP 20.7K

-40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 WST 21.82

$8.97 COP 32.1K

-9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 WST 13.72

$2.29 COP 8,182

121.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 4.94

$1.06 COP 3,791

72.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.90

$1.51 COP 5,411

20.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 WST 11.70

$1.36 COP 4,869

218.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 WST 9.54

$1.16 COP 4,146

204.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 WST 2.84

$1.17 COP 4,174

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 WST 3.15

$0.85 COP 3,043

37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 WST 16.65

$2.35 COP 8,423

162.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 WST 44.73

$11.09 COP 39.7K

49.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 WST 4.78

$1.15 COP 4,133

53.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 WST 9.48

$2.47 COP 8,853

42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 WST 9.50

$0.79 COP 2,827

345.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 WST 14.58

$1.44 COP 5,140

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.45 WST 57.9

$7.70 COP 27.6K

178.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.82

$1.03 COP 3,680

0.97%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

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

$17.54 WST 47.35

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-78.46%

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

$17.72 WST 47.85

$9.42 COP 33.7K

88.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.20 WST 95.0

$23.77 COP 85.1K

48.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 WST 134

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 WST 108

$32.82 COP 117.5K

22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 WST 205

$100 COP 359.6K

-24.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 WST 267

$106 COP 380.3K

-6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 WST 4,959

$715 COP 2.6M

156.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Apia and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Apia vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $190 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 $1,499 in Apia and $1,544 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 $1,000 per month in Apia versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,000 in Apia versus $1,030 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 $1,000 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.