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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Masaya vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,138 per month in Masaya vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Masaya vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Masaya is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Masaya and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Masaya 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 NIO 181

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-17.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 NIO 1,294

$32.86 COP 117.4K

7.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 NIO 264

$7.09 COP 25.3K

1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.44 NIO 89.2

$1.71 COP 6,115

42.69%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.60

$1.10 COP 3,924

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 NIO 27.32

$0.78 COP 2,781

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 NIO 47.42

$1.68 COP 5,997

-23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NIO 75.2

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 NIO 46.00

$1.09 COP 3,906

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.0

$1.26 COP 4,508

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NIO 68.2

$1.38 COP 4,922

34.78%

Eggs

$2.24 NIO 81.9

$2.19 COP 7,827

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 NIO 417

$4.40 COP 15.7K

158.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 NIO 249

$5.63 COP 20.1K

20.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 NIO 290

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-10.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NIO 144

$2.34 COP 8,349

67.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 NIO 30.49

$1.06 COP 3,777

-21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.4

$1.50 COP 5,374

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 NIO 81.1

$1.38 COP 4,924

60.14%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 NIO 148

$1.15 COP 4,111

252.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NIO 80.1

$1.16 COP 4,155

88.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 NIO 38.13

$0.84 COP 2,997

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 NIO 98.3

$2.28 COP 8,145

17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 NIO 538

$10.64 COP 38.0K

38.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NIO 53.3

$1.20 COP 4,284

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 NIO 82.1

$2.47 COP 8,824

-9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.3

$1.47 COP 5,264

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 NIO 252

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NIO 49.91

$0.95 COP 3,409

43.16%

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

$22.8K NIO 835.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

25.83%

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

$26.2K NIO 959.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-1.11%

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

$98.9 NIO 3,622

$82.3 COP 293.7K

20.24%

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

$16.80 NIO 615

$9.50 COP 33.9K

76.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.42 NIO 1,370

$24.23 COP 86.5K

54.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 NIO 291

$3.93 COP 14.0K

102.54%

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

$124 NIO 4,540

$309 COP 1.1M

-59.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,948 NIO 217.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 NIO 2,846

$58.7 COP 209.5K

32.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.7 NIO 2,662

$32.35 COP 115.5K

124.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,762

$103 COP 366.4K

26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NIO 4,019

$108 COP 387.2K

1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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: $262 vs $188 – 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 41%, 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 $1,077 per month in Masaya and $1,519 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 39% 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.