Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Afgoye Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Afgoye

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $247 in Afgoye.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $323 in Afgoye.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $398 in Afgoye.

Living in Medellin is roughly 310% more expensive than Afgoye, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Afgoye 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.01 SOS 574

493.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.60 SOS 2,046

96.94%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.48 SOS 274

256.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.48 SOS 271

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.21 SOS 119

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.98 SOS 1,690

-63.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.62 SOS 2,057

-39.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.19 SOS 4,650

8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.26 SOS 148

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.11 SOS 2,902

85.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$25.10 SOS 14.3K

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$10.13 SOS 5,752

479.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$44.14 SOS 25.1K

145.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$99.2 SOS 56.3K

380.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$96.7 SOS 54.9K

291.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$283 SOS 161.0K

195.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$80.7 SOS 45.8K

797.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$199 SOS 113.2K

156.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Afgoye: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $99.2 in Afgoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 157% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Afgoye: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Afgoye differ by about 310% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $247 including rent). Afgoye is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 157% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $99.2 in Afgoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $247 in Afgoye – a 310% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $247 in Afgoye versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Afgoye but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Afgoye 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.

Expats usually find Afgoye gentler on the wallet – expenses run 310% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.