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: $2,032 in Escazu versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,800 in Escazu versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,569 in Escazu versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Escazu is roughly 97% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Escazu is 52% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₡4,984

$5.92 COP 21.4K

85.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 ₡27.2K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

82.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,504

$7.20 COP 26.0K

37.50%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₡1,773

$1.70 COP 6,140

129.41%

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

$2.06 ₡935

$1.10 COP 3,966

87.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡757

$0.72 COP 2,605

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₡1,372

$1.67 COP 6,022

80.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,117

$3.10 COP 11.2K

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₡936

$1.06 COP 3,809

94.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 ₡1,250

$1.25 COP 4,497

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,006

$1.39 COP 5,022

58.99%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,338

$2.26 COP 8,168

30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 ₡4,484

$4.33 COP 15.6K

127.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 ₡4,219

$5.84 COP 21.1K

58.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 ₡6,243

$8.83 COP 31.9K

55.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 ₡2,106

$2.24 COP 8,099

106.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡678

$1.08 COP 3,882

37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 ₡1,916

$1.53 COP 5,522

175.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,456

$1.37 COP 4,950

133.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,624

$1.13 COP 4,078

215.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 ₡1,472

$1.12 COP 4,036

189.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡430

$0.85 COP 3,057

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,344

$0.91 COP 3,281

225.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 ₡2,196

$2.33 COP 8,414

107.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.74 ₡8,522

$11.13 COP 40.2K

68.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₡802

$1.19 COP 4,309

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ₡1,242

$2.37 COP 8,553

15.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$0.79 COP 2,838

21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 ₡757

$1.44 COP 5,184

15.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡805

$1.91 COP 6,901

-7.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 ₡3,682

$8.02 COP 28.9K

1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡632

$0.94 COP 3,385

47.87%

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

$31.4K ₡14.3M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

74.95%

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

$32.5K ₡14.8M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

21.27%

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

$66.2 ₡30.1K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-21.12%

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

$25.87 ₡11.8K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

169.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 ₡22.8K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

107.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 ₡49.0K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

316.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 ₡4,621

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 ₡4,446

$3.92 COP 14.1K

149.49%

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

$580 ₡263.5K

$306 COP 1.1M

89.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₡6.5M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

141.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ₡28.1K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

6.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 ₡23.3K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

60.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.4K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

26.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₡47.9K

$107 COP 386.8K

-1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 ₡484.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

118.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 ₡481.6K

$368 COP 1.3M

187.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 ₡764.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

103.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₡596.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

83.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 ₡738.7K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-44.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 ₡514.9K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-19.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,759 ₡799.8K

$546 COP 2.0M

222.43%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,065 in Escazu and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 222% 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 $359 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 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Escazu pays 222% 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: $1,065 in Escazu versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,032 per month in Escazu versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,032 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 97% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.