Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Masaya and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Masaya vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Masaya vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Masaya vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Masaya is about 52% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Masaya sits 43% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$8.04 COP 24.8K

25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 NIO 1,347

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-23.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 NIO 280

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 92.1

$2.94 COP 9,040

-14.63%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.34

$1.86 COP 5,735

-55.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NIO 26.40

$1.46 COP 4,479

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.9

$3.21 COP 9,882

-55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NIO 71.9

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-65.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 NIO 45.27

$1.44 COP 4,428

-13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 NIO 83.9

$2.40 COP 7,389

-4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 NIO 62.5

$1.70 COP 5,228

0.59%

Eggs

$2.36 NIO 86.5

$2.89 COP 8,896

-18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 NIO 421

$10.06 COP 30.9K

14.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 NIO 239

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 NIO 268

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-48.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NIO 133

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-8.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NIO 21.04

$1.58 COP 4,878

-63.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.0

$2.15 COP 6,624

-18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.9

$2.30 COP 7,078

-5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 NIO 147

$2.00 COP 6,169

101.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NIO 82.8

$1.51 COP 4,646

49.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 36.97

$1.20 COP 3,701

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.11

$1.28 COP 3,946

-16.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.1

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-30.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 NIO 534

$14.01 COP 43.1K

4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.71 COP 5,256

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NIO 85.9

$2.74 COP 8,440

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 NIO 60.4

$1.31 COP 4,016

25.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NIO 61.2

$2.17 COP 6,680

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NIO 48.65

$1.36 COP 4,172

-2.21%

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

$23.2K NIO 849.3K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-15.59%

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

$26.1K NIO 955.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.61%

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

$117 NIO 4,283

$169 COP 519.2K

-30.68%

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

$16.75 NIO 613

$13.57 COP 41.8K

23.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 NIO 1,342

$28.32 COP 87.2K

29.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 NIO 305

$6.65 COP 20.5K

25.26%

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

$237 NIO 8,673

$803 COP 2.5M

-70.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,955 NIO 218.1K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-35.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,607

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.1 NIO 2,642

$59.4 COP 182.7K

21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NIO 4,935

$139 COP 427.5K

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,904

$102 COP 314.0K

4.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

10.94

-6.31%

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

Last update for Masaya: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Masaya versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $300 – making Masaya 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

Masaya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 108%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,185 per month in Masaya and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Masaya and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Masaya. 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.