Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acarigua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acarigua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $699 in Acarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,232 in Acarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,765 in Acarigua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than Acarigua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Acarigua 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$11.85 VES 5,771

-50.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$54.6 VES 26.6K

-40.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.14 VES 4,940

-28.99%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.59 VES 1,260

-34.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.26 VES 614

-12.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.94 VES 459

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.52 VES 738

9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.07 VES 1,494

0.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.89 VES 921

-43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.77 VES 1,351

-54.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.48 VES 721

-6.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.77 VES 1,349

-18.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.23 VES 4,982

-57.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.51 VES 3,661

-22.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.40 VES 3,606

19.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.16 VES 2,515

-56.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.87 VES 910

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.19 VES 1,066

-30.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.00 VES 976

-31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.68 VES 1,307

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.07 VES 1,009

-45.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.30 VES 632

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.97 VES 960

-53.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.12 VES 2,007

-43.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.96 VES 4,852

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.46 VES 711

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.94 VES 947

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.11 VES 2,487

-71.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.73 VES 1,328

-30.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.93 VES 4,836

-19.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 VES 238

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.2K VES 12.3M

-28.86%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$39.3K VES 19.1M

-31.84%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$20.08 VES 9,781

318.13%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.28 VES 6,468

-27.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.56 VES 19.8K

-40.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.91 VES 2,880

-33.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$132 VES 64.2K

132.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,574 VES 2.7M

6.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$62.8 VES 30.6K

-7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$38.99 VES 19.0K

-18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$103 VES 50.0K

-2.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$113 VES 55.2K

-5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$637 VES 310.1K

120.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

21.33

-37.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Acarigua: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $55.0 in Acarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $282 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin vs Acarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acarigua is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,049 in Acarigua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 49% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $699 in Acarigua – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Acarigua versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Acarigua but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Acarigua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Acarigua 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 Acarigua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.