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: $999 in Apia versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,575 in Apia versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Apia versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Apia costs roughly 1% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Apia 25% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$52.6 WST 144

$5.99 COP 21.5K

778.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 WST 96.3

$32.86 COP 117.9K

6.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 WST 38.23

$7.09 COP 25.5K

96.47%

Cappuccino

$2.50 WST 6.85

$1.71 COP 6,146

46.20%

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

$2.09 WST 5.74

$1.10 COP 3,944

90.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 WST 3.44

$0.78 COP 2,795

60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 WST 12.04

$1.68 COP 6,028

161.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 WST 9.78

$3.07 COP 11.0K

15.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 WST 4.79

$1.09 COP 3,925

60.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 WST 2.14

$1.26 COP 4,530

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.80

$1.38 COP 4,947

26.81%

Eggs

$4.15 WST 11.38

$2.19 COP 7,867

89.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.85 WST 2.32

$4.40 COP 15.8K

-80.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 WST 9.86

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-36.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 WST 22.64

$8.89 COP 31.9K

-7.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 WST 13.91

$2.34 COP 8,391

116.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 WST 4.83

$1.06 COP 3,796

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 WST 4.97

$1.50 COP 5,401

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 WST 11.82

$1.38 COP 4,949

212.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 WST 9.67

$1.15 COP 4,132

206.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 WST 2.90

$1.16 COP 4,176

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,198

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 WST 3.16

$0.84 COP 3,012

36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 WST 16.85

$2.28 COP 8,186

169.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 WST 44.23

$10.64 COP 38.2K

51.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 WST 4.84

$1.20 COP 4,305

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 WST 9.90

$2.47 COP 8,869

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 WST 9.63

$0.86 COP 3,072

308.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 WST 14.46

$1.47 COP 5,290

258.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,045

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.63 WST 59.4

$7.74 COP 27.8K

179.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 WST 2.91

$0.95 COP 3,426

11.58%

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

$18.1K COP 65.1M

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

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

$17.78 WST 48.78

$82.3 COP 295.2K

-78.38%

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

$17.72 WST 48.63

$9.50 COP 34.1K

86.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.31 WST 99.6

$24.23 COP 87.0K

49.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.2K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 WST 138

$58.7 COP 210.5K

-14.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.75 WST 112

$32.35 COP 116.1K

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 WST 203

$103 COP 368.2K

-27.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 WST 279

$108 COP 389.2K

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

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)

$1,849 WST 5,073

$724 COP 2.6M

155.41%

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 %)

13.43

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

Last update for Apia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 $234 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

Apia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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 $1,498 in Apia and $1,519 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 $999 per month in Apia versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 1% 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 $999 in Apia versus $1,013 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 $999 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 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.