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: $921 in Esmeraldas versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Esmeraldas versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,869 in Esmeraldas versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Esmeraldas costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Esmeraldas 31% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 $4.03

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-31.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 $32.89

$32.75 COP 118.2K

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 $4.10

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-43.06%

Cappuccino

$2.89 $2.89

$1.70 COP 6,140

70.00%

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

$0.52 $0.52

$1.10 COP 3,966

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.72 COP 2,605

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.67 COP 6,022

17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.10 COP 11.2K

26.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 COP 3,809

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.25 COP 4,497

24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.39 COP 5,022

31.65%

Eggs

$1.46 $1.46

$2.26 COP 8,168

-35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$4.33 COP 15.6K

98.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 $7.74

$5.84 COP 21.1K

32.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 $8.38

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.24 COP 8,099

-11.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 COP 3,882

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.53 COP 5,522

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.37 COP 4,950

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.13 COP 4,078

23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.12 COP 4,036

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.85 COP 3,057

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.91 COP 3,281

10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.33 COP 8,414

154.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 $10.15

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.19 COP 4,309

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.37 COP 8,553

25.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.79 COP 2,838

-56.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 $24.38

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-40.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.44 COP 5,184

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.91 COP 6,901

-36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 $10.18

$8.02 COP 28.9K

26.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.94 COP 3,385

-29.79%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

11.28%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-6.55%

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

$34.28 $34.28

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-59.17%

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

$14.31 $14.31

$9.60 COP 34.7K

49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 $29.37

$24.16 COP 87.2K

21.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.34 $30.34

$25.88 COP 93.4K

17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.67 $14.67

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-22.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 $7.15

$3.92 COP 14.1K

82.40%

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

$278 $278

$306 COP 1.1M

-9.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,755 $8,755

$5,919 COP 21.4M

47.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 $56.8

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 $42.91

$31.82 COP 114.9K

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 $86.8

$107 COP 386.8K

-18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$487 COP 1.8M

-31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 $317

$368 COP 1.3M

-13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 $622

$826 COP 3.0M

-24.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 $495

$716 COP 2.6M

-30.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,238 $1,238

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-57.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 $780

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-44.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 $441

$546 COP 2.0M

-19.15%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Esmeraldas and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% 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: $33.00 in Esmeraldas vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 24% 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: $336 in Esmeraldas versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 11% 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 $33.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $921 in Esmeraldas versus $1,034 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 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.