Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Esmeraldas versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Esmeraldas versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,884 in Esmeraldas versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Esmeraldas costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Esmeraldas 32% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 $3.94

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.64 $33.64

$32.96 COP 103.8K

2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 $4.08

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-45.09%

Cappuccino

$2.79 $2.79

$1.65 COP 5,207

69.09%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$1.10 COP 3,468

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.78 COP 2,458

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.72 COP 5,412

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.18 COP 10.0K

28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.10 COP 3,474

-7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.26 COP 3,962

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.38 COP 4,349

30.43%

Eggs

$1.48 $1.48

$2.18 COP 6,858

-32.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$4.49 COP 14.1K

91.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.79 COP 18.2K

36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.32 COP 7,308

-9.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 COP 3,352

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.52 COP 4,774

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.36 COP 4,270

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.13 COP 3,552

27.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.17 COP 3,689

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.90 COP 2,838

-42.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.90 COP 2,823

18.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.23 COP 7,034

170.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.19 COP 3,743

32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.48 COP 7,815

15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.85 COP 2,687

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.75 $23.75

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-42.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.42 COP 4,459

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 $9.95

$7.89 COP 24.8K

26.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.99 COP 3,118

-29.29%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.56%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-4.26%

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

$34.10 $34.10

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-58.92%

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

$14.56 $14.56

$9.70 COP 30.5K

50.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 $29.51

$23.52 COP 74.1K

25.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.34 $30.34

$25.26 COP 79.5K

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-22.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 $6.82

$3.95 COP 12.4K

72.66%

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

$279 $279

$316 COP 994.2K

-11.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,512 $8,512

$5,975 COP 18.8M

42.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 $57.6

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-4.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 $43.19

$31.82 COP 100.2K

35.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 COP 320.1K

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 $84.5

$107 COP 338.3K

-21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$475 COP 1.5M

-27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$374 COP 1.2M

-16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 $619

$849 COP 2.7M

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$719 COP 2.3M

-30.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 $1,080

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-66.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$832 $832

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-42.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 $456

$624 COP 2.0M

-26.98%

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 Esmeraldas: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Esmeraldas and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 37% 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: $34.00 in Esmeraldas vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 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

Esmeraldas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $345 in Esmeraldas versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in Esmeraldas versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.