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: $874 in Apia versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Apia versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,844 in Apia versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Apia costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apia is 36% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$46.94 WST 129

$8.02 COP 25.4K

485.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.67 WST 101

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-23.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.38 WST 39.52

$9.89 COP 31.4K

45.40%

Cappuccino

$2.96 WST 8.13

$3.13 COP 9,937

-5.43%

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

$1.87 WST 5.14

$1.91 COP 6,058

-2.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 WST 3.84

$1.51 COP 4,794

-7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 WST 9.79

$3.12 COP 9,917

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 WST 10.26

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-35.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 WST 4.91

$1.44 COP 4,587

24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 WST 2.17

$2.49 COP 7,894

-68.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.10

$1.77 COP 5,631

5.08%

Eggs

$4.42 WST 12.15

$2.96 COP 9,396

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.96 WST 2.62

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-90.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 WST 10.35

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-62.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 WST 22.63

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-42.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 WST 14.22

$4.14 COP 13.1K

25.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 WST 5.12

$1.61 COP 5,106

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 WST 4.94

$2.25 COP 7,129

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 WST 12.27

$2.25 COP 7,150

98.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 WST 9.84

$2.04 COP 6,486

75.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 WST 3.08

$1.54 COP 4,873

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 WST 3.40

$1.31 COP 4,148

-5.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 WST 16.76

$3.90 COP 12.4K

56.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 WST 45.96

$14.01 COP 44.5K

19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.06

$1.74 COP 5,534

5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 WST 9.85

$2.87 COP 9,112

24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 WST 10.11

$1.22 COP 3,858

201.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 WST 14.79

$1.31 COP 4,155

310.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.46 WST 15.00

$2.19 COP 6,944

149.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 WST 59.7

$8.71 COP 27.7K

149.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 WST 2.97

$1.37 COP 4,334

-21.17%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

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

$18.67 WST 51.3

$177 COP 562.9K

-89.47%

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

$18.48 WST 50.8

$13.88 COP 44.1K

33.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 WST 101

$29.72 COP 94.4K

23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 WST 5,105

$1,027 COP 3.3M

80.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Apia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $37.00 in Apia vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $305 per month, with Apia 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 92% 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 $1,311 in Apia and $2,521 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 $874 per month in Apia versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Apia versus $1,681 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 $874 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 92% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.