Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aguadulce Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aguadulce

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $917 in Aguadulce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,493 in Aguadulce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,068 in Aguadulce.

Living in Medellin is roughly 79% more expensive than in Aguadulce, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Aguadulce is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.98 PAB 9.98

-19.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.9K

$44.44 PAB 44.44

8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$7.93 PAB 7.93

18.79%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,056

$3.97 PAB 3.97

-25.94%

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

$1.86 COP 5,745

$1.92 PAB 1.92

-3.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,487

$1.51 PAB 1.51

-3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,899

$2.93 PAB 2.93

9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.98 PAB 3.98

43.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,436

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,401

$2.36 PAB 2.36

1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,237

$3.13 PAB 3.13

-45.69%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,911

$2.75 PAB 2.75

5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$12.56 PAB 12.56

-19.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.49 PAB 6.49

53.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.8K

$10.42 PAB 10.42

36.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.47 PAB 4.47

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,886

$1.68 PAB 1.68

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,635

$4.01 PAB 4.01

-46.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,090

$4.10 PAB 4.10

-43.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,179

$3.11 PAB 3.11

-35.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,654

$4.33 PAB 4.33

-65.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,707

$2.19 PAB 2.19

-45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,953

$1.72 PAB 1.72

-25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.03 PAB 6.03

-36.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.2K

$11.16 PAB 11.16

25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,265

$1.40 PAB 1.40

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,454

$2.83 PAB 2.83

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,840

$0.26 PAB 0.26

380.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,023

$2.57 PAB 2.57

-49.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,692

$1.85 PAB 1.85

17.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

$21.68 PAB 21.68

-61.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,179

$1.15 PAB 1.15

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.7M

$21.6K PAB 21.6K

27.44%

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

$36.5K COP 112.6M

$21.1K PAB 21.1K

73.34%

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

$169 COP 520.1K

$133 PAB 133

27.11%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$28.48 PAB 28.48

-52.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.3K

$48.03 PAB 48.03

-41.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.9K

$46.21 PAB 46.21

-1.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.87 PAB 7.87

-15.50%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$536 PAB 536

49.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,449 PAB 9,449

-2.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.3K

$61.1 PAB 61.1

43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.0K

$45.98 PAB 45.98

29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.2K

$95.5 PAB 95.5

45.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.6K

$119 PAB 119

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.39

71.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Aguadulce: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Aguadulce. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $318, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Aguadulce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguadulce wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguadulce the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $1,376 in Aguadulce to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $917 in Aguadulce – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $917 in Aguadulce versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguadulce but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Aguadulce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguadulce delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $917 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguadulce hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Aguadulce 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 Aguadulce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.