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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Masaya vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Masaya vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,592 per month in Masaya vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Masaya is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Masaya and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 NIO 178

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-20.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 NIO 1,275

$32.60 COP 106.1K

6.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 NIO 259

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$2.39 NIO 87.5

$1.72 COP 5,600

38.95%

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

$0.79 NIO 28.78

$1.05 COP 3,420

-24.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 NIO 27.65

$0.77 COP 2,515

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 NIO 49.32

$1.69 COP 5,488

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 NIO 74.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-36.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.52

$1.05 COP 3,423

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 NIO 89.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

89.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$1.40 COP 4,544

30.00%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.7

$2.16 COP 7,047

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 NIO 408

$4.39 COP 14.3K

153.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 NIO 248

$5.88 COP 19.1K

15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 289

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.28 COP 7,426

72.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.74

$1.11 COP 3,604

-19.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 NIO 64.6

$1.53 COP 4,983

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.2

$1.35 COP 4,410

62.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 NIO 145

$1.13 COP 3,674

249.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$1.13 COP 3,692

98.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 NIO 38.81

$0.85 COP 2,753

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.70

$0.91 COP 2,975

16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 NIO 96.3

$2.34 COP 7,630

12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 NIO 536

$12.37 COP 40.3K

18.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NIO 52.0

$1.20 COP 3,909

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 NIO 79.5

$2.49 COP 8,104

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.5

$1.42 COP 4,623

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 NIO 243

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-13.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.49

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$22.6K NIO 827.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

25.35%

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

$26.5K NIO 970.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-0.52%

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

$97.0 NIO 3,552

$80.8 COP 263.1K

20.02%

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

$16.99 NIO 622

$9.95 COP 32.4K

70.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 NIO 1,384

$24.18 COP 78.7K

56.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 NIO 301

$3.98 COP 13.0K

106.78%

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

$122 NIO 4,474

$305 COP 993.5K

-59.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 NIO 216.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 NIO 2,805

$58.1 COP 189.2K

31.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.1 NIO 2,675

$32.20 COP 104.8K

126.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,878

$101 COP 327.9K

32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 NIO 3,996

$108 COP 350.8K

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

13.43

-23.68%

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

Last update for Masaya: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Masaya versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $193 – 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

Masaya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Masaya and $1,546 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 $35.00 in Masaya and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.