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: $2,047 in Escazu versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,851 in Escazu versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,655 in Escazu versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Escazu is roughly 104% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Escazu is 54% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 ₡4,830

$5.91 COP 18.9K

81.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.4K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

84.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 ₡4,406

$7.43 COP 23.7K

31.76%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,751

$1.65 COP 5,276

135.76%

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

$1.98 ₡891

$1.10 COP 3,514

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡743

$0.78 COP 2,491

111.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ₡1,349

$1.72 COP 5,484

74.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ₡2,069

$3.18 COP 10.1K

44.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡879

$1.10 COP 3,521

77.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,243

$1.26 COP 4,015

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₡992

$1.38 COP 4,407

59.42%

Eggs

$3.03 ₡1,362

$2.18 COP 6,950

38.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₡4,567

$4.49 COP 14.3K

126.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 ₡4,059

$5.79 COP 18.5K

55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,072

$8.97 COP 28.6K

50.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,966

$2.32 COP 7,405

88.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡686

$1.06 COP 3,397

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,967

$1.52 COP 4,838

187.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 ₡1,478

$1.36 COP 4,327

141.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 ₡1,576

$1.13 COP 3,599

209.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,460

$1.17 COP 3,738

176.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡429

$0.90 COP 2,876

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,321

$0.90 COP 2,861

226.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 ₡2,279

$2.23 COP 7,128

126.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.00 ₡8,551

$12.12 COP 38.7K

56.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₡779

$1.19 COP 3,793

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₡1,212

$2.48 COP 7,920

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₡436

$0.85 COP 2,723

14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ₡788

$1.42 COP 4,518

23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡805

$1.95 COP 6,223

-8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,497

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡636

$0.99 COP 3,160

42.42%

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

$31.1K ₡14.0M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

76.54%

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

$32.0K ₡14.4M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

19.32%

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

$66.7 ₡30.0K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-19.70%

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

$25.68 ₡11.6K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

164.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 ₡22.8K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

115.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 ₡47.3K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

315.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.18 ₡4,581

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-46.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.82 ₡4,420

$3.95 COP 12.6K

148.61%

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

$565 ₡254.4K

$316 COP 1.0M

79.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₡6.4M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

138.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ₡28.1K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

3.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ₡22.8K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

59.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡56.6K

$102 COP 324.4K

23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡47.7K

$107 COP 342.8K

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 ₡477.7K

$475 COP 1.5M

123.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ₡475.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

182.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 ₡743.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

94.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 ₡585.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

80.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₡621.0K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 ₡554.3K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-14.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,783 ₡802.5K

$624 COP 2.0M

185.59%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Escazu and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 186% 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: $61.0 in Escazu vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $193 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 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 186% higher in Escazu, 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: $1,062 in Escazu versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,047 per month in Escazu versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,047 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 104% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.