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: $721 in Cotacachi versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,155 in Cotacachi versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,590 in Cotacachi versus $2,120 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 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 $3.83

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-35.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.74 $19.74

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-39.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 $4.45

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-38.19%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$1.70 COP 6,140

30.59%

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

$1.07 $1.07

$1.10 COP 3,966

-2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.72 COP 2,605

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.67 COP 6,022

17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.10 COP 11.2K

25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.06 COP 3,809

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.25 COP 4,497

24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.39 COP 5,022

33.81%

Eggs

$2.29 $2.29

$2.26 COP 8,168

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$4.33 COP 15.6K

99.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 $8.06

$5.84 COP 21.1K

38.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-13.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.24 COP 8,099

-10.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.08 COP 3,882

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.53 COP 5,522

-32.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.37 COP 4,950

-5.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.13 COP 4,078

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.12 COP 4,036

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.85 COP 3,057

-1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.91 COP 3,281

12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.33 COP 8,414

95.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 $7.37

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.19 COP 4,309

27.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.37 COP 8,553

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.79 COP 2,838

-44.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.15 $15.15

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-63.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.44 COP 5,184

-15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.91 COP 6,901

-49.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.02 COP 28.9K

26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.94 COP 3,385

-25.53%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

10.44%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-5.31%

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

$34.56 $34.56

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-58.84%

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

$12.78 $12.78

$9.60 COP 34.7K

33.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.36 $25.36

$24.16 COP 87.2K

4.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.42 $29.42

$25.88 COP 93.4K

13.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 $7.88

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-58.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 $6.82

$3.92 COP 14.1K

73.98%

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

$75.7 $75.7

$306 COP 1.1M

-75.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,032 $3,032

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-48.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.96 $40.96

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-29.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 $41.26

$31.82 COP 114.9K

29.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 $60.7

$107 COP 386.8K

-43.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 $262

$487 COP 1.8M

-46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 $178

$368 COP 1.3M

-51.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 $424

$826 COP 3.0M

-48.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 $343

$716 COP 2.6M

-52.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$598 $598

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-79.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 $520

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-63.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 $434

$546 COP 2.0M

-20.39%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Cotacachi and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% 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 $208 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 43% in total monthly costs ($721 vs $1,034 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 26% 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: $262 in Cotacachi versus $487 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 171% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $75.7 in Cotacachi versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Cotacachi versus $1,034 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 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.