Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotacachi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotacachi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $714 in Cotacachi versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,139 in Cotacachi versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,563 in Cotacachi versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Cotacachi costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotacachi 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 $3.76

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-36.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.76 $19.76

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-40.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 $4.61

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-36.24%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$1.63 COP 5,687

36.20%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$1.09 COP 3,821

1.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.73 COP 2,548

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.74 COP 6,065

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.23 COP 11.3K

22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.05 COP 3,662

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.29 COP 4,515

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.32 COP 4,617

40.91%

Eggs

$2.21 $2.21

$2.27 COP 7,927

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 $8.80

$4.35 COP 15.2K

102.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 $7.74

$5.88 COP 20.5K

31.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 $7.39

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.25 COP 7,844

-7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.07 COP 3,733

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.52 COP 5,322

-29.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.42 COP 4,964

-8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.17 COP 4,084

17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.17 COP 4,077

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.89 COP 3,096

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.90 COP 3,146

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.25 COP 7,837

96.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 $7.35

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-33.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.14 COP 3,977

38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.84 COP 2,916

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.22 $15.22

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-63.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.41 COP 4,912

-13.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.90 COP 6,634

-53.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.82 $9.82

$7.75 COP 27.0K

26.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.01 COP 3,509

-28.71%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

13.13%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-2.67%

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

$34.72 $34.72

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.51%

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

$12.50 $12.50

$9.45 COP 33.0K

32.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.33 $25.33

$24.11 COP 84.1K

5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.41 $29.41

$25.31 COP 88.3K

16.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.09 $8.09

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-57.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 $7.02

$4.10 COP 14.3K

71.22%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$312 COP 1.1M

-75.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,949 $2,949

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-50.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.76 $41.76

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.85 $40.85

$32.56 COP 113.6K

25.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 $60.3

$109 COP 378.8K

-44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 $261

$482 COP 1.7M

-45.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 $176

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 $413

$837 COP 2.9M

-50.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 $334

$723 COP 2.5M

-53.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$597 $597

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-78.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 $520

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-57.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 $431

$541 COP 1.9M

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

13.43

-16.68%

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

Last update for Cotacachi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Cotacachi and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Cotacachi vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cotacachi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotacachi and Medellin differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($714 vs $1,017 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Cotacachi versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotacachi runs roughly 176% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $75.8 in Cotacachi versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $714 in Cotacachi versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cotacachi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotacachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.