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: $918 in Esmeraldas versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Esmeraldas versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Esmeraldas versus $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 $3.94

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.43 $32.43

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-2.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-43.43%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$1.63 COP 5,687

79.14%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

-55.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.73 COP 2,548

-34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.74 COP 6,065

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.23 COP 11.3K

22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.05 COP 3,662

-7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.29 COP 4,515

17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.32 COP 4,617

34.09%

Eggs

$1.46 $1.46

$2.27 COP 7,927

-35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.35 COP 15.2K

102.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$5.88 COP 20.5K

34.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 $8.10

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.25 COP 7,844

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.07 COP 3,733

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.52 COP 5,322

-32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.42 COP 4,964

-8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.17 COP 4,084

18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 COP 4,077

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.89 COP 3,096

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.90 COP 3,146

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.25 COP 7,837

163.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.14 COP 3,977

37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.38 COP 8,301

19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.84 COP 2,916

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.90 $23.90

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.41 COP 4,912

5.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.90 COP 6,634

-32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 $10.10

$7.75 COP 27.0K

30.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.01 COP 3,509

-29.70%

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

$20.2K $20.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

14.94%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.91%

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

$35.08 $35.08

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.08%

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

$14.14 $14.14

$9.45 COP 33.0K

49.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 $29.51

$24.11 COP 84.1K

22.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 $29.93

$25.31 COP 88.3K

18.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.86 $14.86

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-22.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 $7.20

$4.10 COP 14.3K

75.61%

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

$272 $272

$312 COP 1.1M

-12.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,651 $8,651

$5,993 COP 20.9M

44.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 $58.2

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 $42.82

$32.56 COP 113.6K

31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.6 COP 347.7K

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 $87.3

$109 COP 378.8K

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 $348

$482 COP 1.7M

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$379 COP 1.3M

-17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 $622

$837 COP 2.9M

-25.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 $508

$723 COP 2.5M

-29.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 $1,080

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-61.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 $795

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-35.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$459 $459

$541 COP 1.9M

-15.18%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Esmeraldas and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 18% 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: $32.00 in Esmeraldas vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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, Medellin earns 18% less. 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: $348 in Esmeraldas versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% 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 $32.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $918 in Esmeraldas versus $1,017 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.