Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acquarossa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Acquarossa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,686 in Acquarossa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $5,610 in Acquarossa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $7,534 in Acquarossa.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 54% less than in Acquarossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Acquarossa 169% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$35.34 CHF 29.04

-77.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$144 CHF 118

-66.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$18.53 CHF 15.23

-46.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$7.29 CHF 5.99

-57.06%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$5.74 CHF 4.71

-66.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$5.29 CHF 4.35

-71.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$9.84 CHF 8.09

-68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$8.72 CHF 7.17

-34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-32.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$3.98 CHF 3.27

-37.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$3.98 CHF 3.27

-55.53%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$8.46 CHF 6.95

-65.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$27.70 CHF 22.76

-63.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$27.65 CHF 22.72

-63.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$61.2 CHF 50.3

-76.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$4.18 CHF 3.44

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.80 CHF 2.30

-42.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$3.47 CHF 2.85

-35.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$4.96 CHF 4.07

-54.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.59 CHF 2.13

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-29.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.58 CHF 2.12

-54.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.28 CHF 1.05

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$11.10 CHF 9.12

-64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$13.21 CHF 10.85

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.86 CHF 2.35

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.26 CHF 2.68

-11.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$4.02 CHF 3.30

-69.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$93.7 CHF 77.0

-14.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$8.28 CHF 6.81

-84.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$4.55 CHF 3.74

-51.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$92.0 CHF 75.6

-90.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$2.34 CHF 1.92

-41.45%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$39.9K CHF 32.8K

-30.17%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.3K CHF 33.1K

-11.14%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$289 CHF 238

-38.75%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$39.28 CHF 32.28

-64.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$57.7 CHF 47.41

-48.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$84.8 CHF 69.7

-47.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$44.18 CHF 36.31

-61.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$24.89 CHF 20.45

-73.28%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$3,645 CHF 2,995

-77.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$42.8K CHF 35.2K

-78.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$142 CHF 117

-36.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$58.5 CHF 48.10

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$164 CHF 135

-15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$259 CHF 213

-60.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,788 CHF 1,469

-40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,512 CHF 1,243

-56.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,641 CHF 2,170

-28.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,559 CHF 2,103

-59.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$14.0K CHF 11.5K

-70.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$14.1K CHF 11.6K

-88.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-94.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.07

428.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Acquarossa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,788 in Acquarossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acquarossa pays 1742% 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 $144 in Acquarossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $677 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 Acquarossa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in Acquarossa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1742% lower in Acquarossa. 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 $1,788 in Acquarossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Acquarossa. 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 $48.00 versus $144 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,686 in Acquarossa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Acquarossa. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Acquarossa 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 119% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.