Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acosta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acosta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,710 in Acosta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,688 in Acosta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,666 in Acosta.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 2% less than in Acosta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Acosta 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$12.05 ₡5,355

-33.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$58.6 ₡26.0K

-18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.66 ₡5,183

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.09 ₡1,816

-23.47%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.64 ₡1,172

-27.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.85 ₡824

-18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.30 ₡1,465

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.36 ₡1,936

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.67 ₡1,187

-46.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.58 ₡1,146

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.86 ₡1,271

-38.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.59 ₡1,596

-17.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.43 ₡5,522

-18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.79 ₡4,350

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.90 ₡5,735

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.54 ₡2,461

-25.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.71 ₡762

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.54 ₡1,573

-36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.20 ₡1,421

-29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.29 ₡1,462

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.04 ₡1,353

-49.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.18 ₡525

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.81 ₡1,248

-53.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.40 ₡2,402

-27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$16.90 ₡7,513

-17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.48 ₡1,100

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.07 ₡1,366

-6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.23 ₡547

-0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.82 ₡1,254

-53.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.84 ₡816

19.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.40 ₡3,731

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.69 ₡752

-18.93%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.1K ₡9.4M

31.69%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$31.4K ₡13.9M

14.09%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$103 ₡45.6K

72.64%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$31.42 ₡14.0K

-55.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$58.5 ₡26.0K

-49.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$75.2 ₡33.4K

-40.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.96 ₡3,539

-16.46%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$934 ₡415.1K

-12.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$15.7K ₡7.0M

-41.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$67.0 ₡29.8K

33.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$57.4 ₡25.5K

2.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$133 ₡59.2K

3.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$127 ₡56.6K

-19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$917 ₡407.6K

15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$618 ₡274.6K

7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,910 ₡848.9K

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,391 ₡618.1K

-26.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,977 ₡878.6K

111.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,482 ₡658.5K

-54.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Acosta: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $917 in Acosta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 119% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Acosta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $378 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 Acosta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Acosta differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $1,710 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 119% lower in Acosta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $917 in Acosta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,710 in Acosta – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,710 in Acosta, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Acosta. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Acosta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.