Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Aquila and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Aquila and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,627 per month in L'Aquila vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,465 per month in L'Aquila vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,303 per month in L'Aquila vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

L'Aquila is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both L'Aquila and Medellin sit above the global median – L'Aquila by 18%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.35 €20.07

$8.03 COP 25.2K

190.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.8

$48.26 COP 151.7K

46.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.13

$9.77 COP 30.7K

44.42%

Cappuccino

$1.86 €1.60

$2.91 COP 9,149

-36.08%

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

$2.84 €2.44

$1.94 COP 6,110

46.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.52 COP 4,783

-23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 €5.14

$3.09 COP 9,721

93.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 €3.94

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-20.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.36 COP 4,287

11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.39 COP 7,505

25.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.70 COP 5,346

34.71%

Eggs

$3.50 €3.01

$2.87 COP 9,021

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 €13.02

$9.94 COP 31.2K

52.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 €10.50

$10.78 COP 33.9K

13.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 €14.52

$14.73 COP 46.3K

14.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-45.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.57 COP 4,940

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.13 COP 6,682

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$2.21 COP 6,959

39.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.05 COP 6,435

-20.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.50 COP 4,728

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.19 COP 3,740

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 €0.33

$1.16 COP 3,640

-66.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 €5.65

$3.90 COP 12.2K

68.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 €4.86

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.58 COP 4,978

-15.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.83 COP 8,889

-47.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.17 COP 3,672

45.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.06 €34.44

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-48.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.83

$1.28 COP 4,038

339.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.09 COP 6,576

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.89 €22.25

$8.62 COP 27.1K

200.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.30 COP 4,080

60.00%

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

$36.0K €31.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

30.22%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

3.30%

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

$203 €174

$176 COP 553.4K

15.16%

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

$15.26 €13.12

$13.37 COP 42.0K

14.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.84 €28.23

$29.89 COP 94.0K

9.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 €49.91

$44.76 COP 140.7K

29.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 €24.52

$17.06 COP 53.6K

67.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 €7.85

$6.20 COP 19.5K

47.26%

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

$139 €119

$793 COP 2.5M

-82.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K €11.0K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

41.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.5

$85.6 COP 269.1K

17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 €27.48

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 €85.6

$136 COP 428.4K

-26.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.9

$103 COP 324.1K

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 €494

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 €381

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 €742

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-57.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 €615

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-38.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,828 €2,431

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-31.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,736 €1,492

$1,701 COP 5.3M

2.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,919 €1,649

$665 COP 2.1M

188.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.04

10.94

-72.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for L'Aquila: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in L'Aquila versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 188% higher in L'Aquila, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in L'Aquila versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $303 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

L'Aquila vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,627 in L'Aquila, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 5% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,441 per month in L'Aquila and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in L'Aquila, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 94% less in L'Aquila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in L'Aquila and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in L'Aquila, where all-in costs run around $1,627, than in Medellin at $1,716. In L'Aquila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,627 in L'Aquila to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with L'Aquila. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.