Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alajuela Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alajuela

🙂 Solo nomad: Medellin is 44.2% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 37.3% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Medellin is 40.6% cheaper than Alajuela without rent, and 30.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 22.5K

$10.11 ₡4,940

-41.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.19 COP 122.7K

$40.49 ₡19.8K

-20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 COP 27.5K

$9.4 ₡4,592

-23.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 6,284

$3.67 ₡1,794

-55.04%

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

$1.11 COP 4,224

$2 ₡977

-44.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 COP 2,716

$1.33 ₡652

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,637

$2.17 ₡1,061

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 COP 12.2K

$3.63 ₡1,774

-12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.1 COP 4,176

$1.94 ₡947

-43.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.3 COP 4,965

$2.43 ₡1,188

-46.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,302

$2.14 ₡1,043

-35.05%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 8,302

$2.23 ₡1,087

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 COP 17.3K

$9.85 ₡4,810

-53.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 COP 22.3K

$9.06 ₡4,428

-35.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 COP 32.8K

$13.63 ₡6,661

-36.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,539

$3.97 ₡1,939

-43.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 4,080

$1.47 ₡718

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,822

$4.17 ₡2,035

-63.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 COP 5,377

$2.86 ₡1,398

-50.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,269

$2.89 ₡1,412

-61.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,343

$2.65 ₡1,294

-56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.9 COP 3,418

$1.03 ₡502

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,481

$2.51 ₡1,227

-63.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,932

$4.87 ₡2,379

-51.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.94 COP 37.9K

$17.96 ₡8,775

-44.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,369

$2.18 ₡1,063

-47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 9,066

$2.56 ₡1,250

-7.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 COP 3,069

$0.88 ₡432

-7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 154.6K

$111 ₡54K

-63.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,572

$1.39 ₡679

5.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 COP 7,570

$1.3 ₡633

53.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 COP 30.3K

$7.86 ₡3,839

1.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,844

$1.42 ₡693

-28.87%

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

$17.7K COP 67.3M

$37.5K ₡18.3M

-52.96%

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

$26.8K COP 102.1M

$32.2K ₡15.7M

-16.74%

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

$80.8 COP 308K

$45 ₡22K

79.64%

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

$9.39 COP 35.8K

$20.03 ₡9,787

-53.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.51 COP 89.6K

$32.28 ₡15.8K

-27.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.61 COP 97.6K

$65.4 ₡31.9K

-60.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 COP 72.2K

$43.3 ₡21.2K

-56.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 COP 15.7K

$9 ₡4,396

-54.22%

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

$306 COP 1.2M

$298 ₡145.4K

2.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,875 COP 22.4M

$2,377 ₡1.2M

147.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 COP 224K

$62 ₡30.3K

-5.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.9 COP 121.5K

$51.6 ₡25.2K

-38.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 387.4K

$121 ₡58.9K

-15.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 413K

$98.4 ₡48.1K

10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 COP 1.8M

$699 ₡341.5K

-31.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 COP 1.4M

$605 ₡295.7K

-38.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.2M

$1,003 ₡490K

-16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 COP 2.8M

$926 ₡452.6K

-21.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 COP 8.6M

$2,058 ₡1M

9.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 COP 6.1M

$1,523 ₡744.2K

4.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 COP 2M

$1,207 ₡589.7K

-57.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: December 1, 2025

Last update for Alajuela: November 30, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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