Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in Escazu versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,857 in Escazu versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,608 in Escazu versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Escazu is roughly 107% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Escazu is 57% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.01 ₡4,974

$5.95 COP 20.8K

85.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

81.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 ₡4,465

$7.23 COP 25.2K

36.65%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,759

$1.63 COP 5,687

138.65%

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

$1.99 ₡898

$1.09 COP 3,821

82.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡754

$0.73 COP 2,548

128.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ₡1,338

$1.74 COP 6,065

70.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ₡2,073

$3.23 COP 11.3K

42.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡925

$1.05 COP 3,662

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 ₡1,291

$1.29 COP 4,515

121.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₡1,001

$1.32 COP 4,617

68.18%

Eggs

$2.95 ₡1,332

$2.27 COP 7,927

29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 ₡4,593

$4.35 COP 15.2K

133.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,176

$5.88 COP 20.5K

57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 ₡6,102

$8.61 COP 30.0K

56.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 ₡2,028

$2.25 COP 7,844

99.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₡656

$1.07 COP 3,733

35.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 ₡1,898

$1.52 COP 5,322

176.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ₡1,511

$1.42 COP 4,964

135.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 ₡1,534

$1.17 COP 4,084

190.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₡1,381

$1.17 COP 4,077

161.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₡465

$0.89 COP 3,096

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,317

$0.90 COP 3,146

223.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 ₡2,180

$2.25 COP 7,837

114.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 ₡8,291

$11.04 COP 38.5K

66.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₡760

$1.14 COP 3,977

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₡1,198

$2.38 COP 8,301

11.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₡400

$0.84 COP 2,916

5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ₡777

$1.41 COP 4,912

21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡806

$1.90 COP 6,634

-6.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 ₡3,608

$7.75 COP 27.0K

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡657

$1.01 COP 3,509

43.56%

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

$31.2K ₡14.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

77.73%

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

$32.1K ₡14.5M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

21.05%

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

$66.7 ₡30.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-20.33%

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

$26.39 ₡11.9K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

179.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.69 ₡22.4K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

106.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 ₡48.2K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

321.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.73 ₡4,398

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-49.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 ₡4,452

$4.10 COP 14.3K

140.24%

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

$564 ₡254.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

80.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₡6.4M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

135.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.3K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

8.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ₡22.9K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

55.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡55.8K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₡488.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

124.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 ₡492.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

187.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 ₡739.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

95.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡594.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

81.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 ₡899.9K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-29.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ₡522.5K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-5.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₡774.7K

$541 COP 1.9M

217.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for Escazu: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,081 in Escazu and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 217% 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: $60.0 in Escazu vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Escazu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Escazu pays 217% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,081 in Escazu versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,107 per month in Escazu versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,107 in Escazu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Escazu. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Escazu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Escazu 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.