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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $665 in Aguilares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,052 in Aguilares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,438 in Aguilares.

Living in Medellin is roughly 53% more expensive than Aguilares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Aguilares 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.57 $2.57

131.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.11 $12.11

175.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.17 $7.17

0.84%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.30 $3.30

-50.61%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.89 $0.89

22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.51 $0.51

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.48 $1.48

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.44 $2.44

32.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.86 $1.86

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.97 $1.97

-34.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.56 $1.56

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.84 $1.84

23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.16 $7.16

-39.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.32 $4.32

36.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.70 $10.70

-19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.20 $3.20

-29.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.70 $1.70

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.15 $2.15

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.65 $2.65

-46.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.22 $2.22

-47.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.19 $2.19

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.96 $0.96

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.03 $1.03

-12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.88 $3.88

-42.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.87 $11.87

-6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.54 $1.54

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.40 $2.40

-0.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.48 $0.48

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$65.1 $65.1

-35.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.57 $5.57

-74.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.98 $2.98

-36.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.77 $19.77

-60.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.01 $1.01

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$17.7K $17.7K

-0.84%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.7K $19.7K

34.32%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$27.68 $27.68

202.31%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.92 $18.92

-50.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.08 $35.08

-31.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$19.87 $19.87

27.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$19.90 $19.90

-3.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.45 $3.45

18.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$144 $144

116.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,846 $5,846

2.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$25.23 $25.23

130.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.42 $28.42

14.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$116 $116

-13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$107 $107

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$75.3 $75.3

540.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $75.3 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 $190 vs $239, 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 53% 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 $1,525 in Medellin and $997 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: $482 in Medellin versus $75.3 in Aguilares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $665 in Aguilares – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Aguilares runs roughly 55% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $665 in Aguilares versus $1,017 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 $665 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 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.