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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,578 in Acosta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $2,368 in Acosta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $3,158 in Acosta.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 35% less than in Acosta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Acosta is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.10 ₡4,557

-40.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$51.9 ₡23.4K

-36.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$9.86 ₡4,450

-24.75%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.80 ₡1,715

-56.58%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.04 ₡919

-47.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.66 ₡750

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.91 ₡1,312

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.65 ₡2,099

-31.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.96 ₡884

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.76 ₡1,244

-52.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.17 ₡978

-38.25%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.89 ₡1,304

-24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.86 ₡4,446

-55.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$8.98 ₡4,050

-36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$13.74 ₡6,197

-37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$4.61 ₡2,081

-49.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.44 ₡651

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$4.34 ₡1,958

-64.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$3.16 ₡1,425

-56.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$3.48 ₡1,570

-66.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$3.03 ₡1,368

-61.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.95 ₡428

-11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$2.95 ₡1,333

-70.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$5.03 ₡2,269

-55.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$20.63 ₡9,306

-43.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.30 ₡1,038

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.63 ₡1,187

-5.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.00 ₡452

-21.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$24.80 ₡11.2K

64.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.80 ₡812

-18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.79 ₡808

7.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$8.08 ₡3,644

-3.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.39 ₡628

-27.34%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$38.3K ₡17.3M

-53.88%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$32.2K ₡14.5M

-17.84%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$93.0 ₡41.9K

-12.76%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$25.97 ₡11.7K

-63.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$52.1 ₡23.5K

-54.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$55.9 ₡25.2K

-53.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$23.49 ₡10.6K

-20.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$9.84 ₡4,438

-58.43%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$535 ₡241.5K

-41.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$12.5K ₡5.7M

-51.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$63.6 ₡28.7K

-6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$51.4 ₡23.2K

-37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$125 ₡56.6K

-19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$109 ₡49.4K

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$753 ₡339.7K

-35.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$601 ₡271.1K

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,519 ₡685.3K

-45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$976 ₡440.2K

-25.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,956 ₡882.2K

53.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,493 ₡673.7K

-63.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Acosta: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $753 in Acosta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 171% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $52.0 in Acosta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $362 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $1,578 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Acosta earns 171% less. 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: $485 in Medellin versus $753 in Acosta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Acosta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $52.0 in Acosta. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,578 in Acosta, a $1,500 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 54% less than in Acosta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.