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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $711 in Acarigua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,222 in Acarigua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,732 in Acarigua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than Acarigua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Acarigua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$11.81 VES 7,031

-49.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$55.7 VES 33.2K

-41.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$10.19 VES 6,064

-27.18%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.62 VES 1,558

-37.02%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.27 VES 757

-15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.03 VES 613

-26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.53 VES 908

12.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.95 VES 1,754

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.80 VES 1,069

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.80 VES 1,665

-53.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.43 VES 853

-6.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.83 VES 1,686

-22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.78 VES 5,823

-54.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.35 VES 4,373

-22.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$7.72 VES 4,594

10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$5.14 VES 3,061

-54.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.81 VES 1,080

-38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.28 VES 1,358

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.06 VES 1,226

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.59 VES 1,541

-55.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.12 VES 1,262

-44.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.29 VES 768

-34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.87 VES 1,114

-54.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.01 VES 2,389

-43.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.22 VES 7,276

-5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.51 VES 901

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.01 VES 1,198

23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$4.90 VES 2,917

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$2.62 VES 1,561

-26.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$10.06 VES 5,986

-22.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.52 VES 308

94.23%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$25.0K VES 14.9M

-29.46%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$38.7K VES 23.1M

-31.68%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$20.05 VES 11.9K

304.49%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$13.07 VES 7,778

-27.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$39.21 VES 23.3K

-39.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.90 VES 3,509

-30.68%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$132 VES 78.7K

137.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$5,556 VES 3.3M

8.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$64.2 VES 38.2K

-6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$39.08 VES 23.3K

-18.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$103 VES 61.3K

-1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$117 VES 69.7K

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$627 VES 373.0K

109.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Acarigua: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $56.0 in Acarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $284 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $1,067 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 50% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $711 in Acarigua – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $711 in Acarigua versus $1,028 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 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.