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: $716 in Cotacachi versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Cotacachi versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,557 in Cotacachi versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Cotacachi costs roughly 29% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotacachi 46% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 $3.66

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-38.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.20 $20.20

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-38.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 $4.55

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-38.76%

Cappuccino

$2.21 $2.21

$1.65 COP 5,212

33.94%

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

$1.08 $1.08

$1.10 COP 3,472

-1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.78 COP 2,461

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.72 COP 5,417

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.18 COP 10.0K

26.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.10 COP 3,478

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.26 COP 3,966

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.38 COP 4,354

35.51%

Eggs

$2.21 $2.21

$2.18 COP 6,866

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$4.49 COP 14.2K

89.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$5.79 COP 18.3K

32.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 $7.32

$8.97 COP 28.3K

-18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.32 COP 7,315

-13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.06 COP 3,356

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.52 COP 4,779

-31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.36 COP 4,274

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.13 COP 3,555

27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 COP 3,692

-5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.90 COP 2,841

-7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.90 COP 2,826

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.23 COP 7,041

99.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 $7.43

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-38.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.19 COP 3,747

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.48 COP 7,823

18.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.85 COP 2,690

-43.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.77 $14.77

$41.62 COP 131.2K

-64.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.42 COP 4,463

-14.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.95 COP 6,147

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 $9.90

$7.89 COP 24.9K

25.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.99 COP 3,122

-28.28%

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

$19.6K $19.6K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

11.47%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K COP 84.5M

-4.13%

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

$34.89 $34.89

$83.0 COP 261.6K

-57.97%

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

$12.55 $12.55

$9.70 COP 30.6K

29.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 $25.99

$23.52 COP 74.1K

10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.43 $30.43

$25.26 COP 79.6K

20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.13 $8.13

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-57.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 $6.89

$3.95 COP 12.4K

74.43%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$316 COP 995.3K

-76.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,032 $3,032

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-49.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.10 $42.10

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-29.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.46 $41.46

$31.82 COP 100.3K

30.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 $96.1

$102 COP 320.4K

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$107 COP 338.7K

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 $270

$475 COP 1.5M

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 $174

$374 COP 1.2M

-53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 $413

$849 COP 2.7M

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$719 COP 2.3M

-52.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$588 $588

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-81.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 $520

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-63.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 $428

$624 COP 2.0M

-31.38%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Cotacachi and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% 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 $205 vs $193, 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 40% in total monthly costs ($716 vs $1,003 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Medellin. 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: $270 in Cotacachi versus $475 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 182% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $74.2 in Cotacachi versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $716 in Cotacachi versus $1,003 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 40% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.