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: $1,716 in Medellin versus $137 in Afgoye.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $262 in Afgoye.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $386 in Afgoye.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1150% more expensive than in Afgoye, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Afgoye is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$1.02 SOS 582

687.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.40 SOS 1,930

187.35%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$0.52 SOS 295

459.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.52 SOS 297

273.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.23 SOS 131

560.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$2.96 SOS 1,684

-54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.63 SOS 2,059

-20.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.76 SOS 4,410

89.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

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

$176 COP 550.1K

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$4.94 SOS 2,803

170.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$25.23 SOS 14.3K

18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$10.05 SOS 5,710

751.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$18.12 SOS 10.3K

469.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$60.5 SOS 34.4K

1652.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$158 SOS 89.9K

1171.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$89.1 SOS 50.6K

1211.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$202 SOS 114.7K

229.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Afgoye: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $60.5 in Afgoye. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 229% 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 1150% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $137 including rent). Afgoye is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 229% higher in Medellin, 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $60.5 in Afgoye. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 350% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $137 in Afgoye – a 1150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $137 in Afgoye versus $1,716 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 1150% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.