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: $727 in Cotacachi versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,189 in Cotacachi versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,651 in Cotacachi versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Cotacachi costs roughly 57% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotacachi is 47% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 $4.10

$8.02 COP 24.9K

-48.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.67 $25.67

$47.87 COP 148.7K

-46.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 $4.53

$9.89 COP 30.7K

-54.20%

Cappuccino

$2.12 $2.12

$3.13 COP 9,724

-32.27%

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

$1.29 $1.29

$1.91 COP 5,928

-32.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.51 COP 4,692

-45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.12 COP 9,705

-37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-30.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.44 COP 4,489

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.49 COP 7,725

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.77 COP 5,510

-14.69%

Eggs

$2.17 $2.17

$2.96 COP 9,195

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$10.07 COP 31.3K

-34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$10.12 COP 31.4K

-44.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$14.30 COP 44.4K

-50.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$4.14 COP 12.8K

-46.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.61 COP 4,997

-29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.25 COP 6,976

-43.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.25 COP 6,997

-51.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.04 COP 6,347

-41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.54 COP 4,769

-33.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.17 COP 3,635

-29.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.31 COP 4,059

-19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.90 COP 12.1K

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 $7.67

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-45.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.74 COP 5,415

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.87 COP 8,917

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 $0.45

$1.22 COP 3,776

-63.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 $14.81

$80.5 COP 250.0K

-81.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.31 COP 4,066

-1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.19 COP 6,796

-55.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 $10.12

$8.71 COP 27.1K

16.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.37 COP 4,241

-45.99%

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

$20.8K $20.8K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-25.41%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.8K COP 111.1M

-20.99%

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

$28.80 $28.80

$177 COP 550.8K

-83.76%

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

$12.93 $12.93

$13.88 COP 43.1K

-6.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.49 $26.49

$29.72 COP 92.4K

-10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.58 $30.58

$44.88 COP 139.4K

-31.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 $10.14

$17.12 COP 53.2K

-40.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 $6.87

$6.65 COP 20.6K

3.31%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$813 COP 2.5M

-90.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,014 $3,014

$9,187 COP 28.5M

-67.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.28 $42.28

$89.5 COP 278.0K

-52.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 $42.72

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-27.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 $94.2

$138 COP 429.4K

-31.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 $60.1

$102 COP 317.3K

-41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 $265

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-75.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 $188

$663 COP 2.1M

-71.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 $466

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-75.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 $418

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-59.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$595 $595

$4,183 COP 13.0M

-85.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$505 $505

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-69.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 $427

$678 COP 2.1M

-36.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

10.94

-7.50%

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

Last update for Cotacachi: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Cotacachi and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 59% 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: $26.00 in Cotacachi vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $305 per month, with Cotacachi 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

Cotacachi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotacachi and Medellin differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($727 vs $1,681 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% 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: $265 in Cotacachi versus $1,062 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 443% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $75.4 in Cotacachi versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $727 in Cotacachi versus $1,681 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 131% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.