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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $711 in Acarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Acarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,783 in Acarigua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 41% more expensive than in Acarigua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Acarigua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$12.08 VES 9,024

-51.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$54.2 VES 40.5K

-39.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.08 VES 7,525

-26.29%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.64 VES 1,973

-37.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.26 VES 940

-12.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.02 VES 758

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.46 VES 1,093

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.93 VES 2,190

8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.82 VES 1,356

-39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.70 VES 2,015

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.50 VES 1,121

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.86 VES 2,135

-23.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.09 VES 7,535

-55.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.59 VES 5,669

-23.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.39 VES 5,518

21.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$5.28 VES 3,946

-56.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.82 VES 1,358

-41.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.29 VES 1,713

-33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.08 VES 1,553

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.68 VES 1,998

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.07 VES 1,545

-43.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.29 VES 966

-30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.90 VES 1,418

-52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.10 VES 3,065

-45.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.81 VES 8,823

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.50 VES 1,123

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.03 VES 1,518

22.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.88 VES 3,645

-70.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.66 VES 1,986

-26.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$9.92 VES 7,407

-20.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.48 VES 358

106.25%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.4K VES 19.0M

-30.71%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$39.4K VES 29.4M

-32.01%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$19.79 VES 14.8K

319.45%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.90 VES 9,634

-24.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$39.50 VES 29.5K

-40.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.91 VES 4,415

-33.16%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$132 VES 98.8K

138.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,380 VES 4.0M

11.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$63.5 VES 47.4K

-5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$39.88 VES 29.8K

-20.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$104 VES 77.3K

-1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$115 VES 86.2K

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$633 VES 472.8K

127.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Acarigua: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Acarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $285 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,066 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 48% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $711 in Acarigua – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $711 in Acarigua versus $1,003 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 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.