Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aguilares Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aguilares

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $670 in Aguilares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,042 in Aguilares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,415 in Aguilares.

Living in Medellin is roughly 50% more expensive than in Aguilares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Aguilares 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.56 $2.56

130.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.84 $11.84

178.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.89 $6.89

7.84%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.33 $3.33

-50.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.94 $0.94

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.49 $0.49

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.46 $1.46

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.45 $2.45

29.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.81 $1.81

-39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.97 $1.97

-36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.53 $1.53

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.78 $1.78

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.87 $6.87

-34.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.46 $4.46

29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.87 $10.87

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.20 $3.20

-27.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.72 $1.72

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.23 $2.23

-31.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.74 $2.74

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.17 $2.17

-47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.16 $2.16

-45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.96 $0.96

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.08 $1.08

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.93 $3.93

-43.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.14 $12.14

-0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.52 $1.52

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.48 $2.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.51 $0.51

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$64.2 $64.2

-35.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$5.51 $5.51

-74.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.08 $3.08

-36.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.61 $19.61

-59.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.05 $1.05

-5.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$18.0K $18.0K

-2.41%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.5K $20.5K

30.67%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$28.39 $28.39

192.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.95 $18.95

-48.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$34.46 $34.46

-31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$19.85 $19.85

27.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$20.28 $20.28

-5.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.53 $3.53

11.90%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$145 $145

118.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,011 $6,011

-0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$24.74 $24.74

142.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.51 $27.51

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$116 $116

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$103 $103

3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$74.6 $74.6

536.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.58

56.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $74.6 in Aguilares. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Aguilares. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $240, 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 Aguilares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,005 in Aguilares 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $74.6 in Aguilares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $670 in Aguilares – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Aguilares runs roughly 54% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $670 in Aguilares versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguilares but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Aguilares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Aguilares delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $670 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aguilares hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Aguilares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.