Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anaco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Anaco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $432 in Anaco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Anaco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $939 in Anaco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 280% more than Anaco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Anaco is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.92 VES 9,897

-32.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$0.84 VES 696

250.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.25 VES 1,036

48.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.58 VES 485

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$0.84 VES 701

282.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.74 VES 1,449

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.08 VES 901

57.41%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.61 VES 2,994

178.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.91 VES 6,569

79.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.55 VES 1,286

48.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.57 VES 1,300

27.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.99 VES 822

29.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.24 VES 1,031

37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.59 VES 1,318

72.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.29 VES 238

331.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.95 VES 2,447

-55.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.48 VES 402

183.33%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$38.58 VES 32.0K

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$25.03 VES 20.8K

82.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$12.04 VES 9,995

43.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.83 VES 4,839

14.07%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$45.69 VES 37.9K

1658.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$44.68 VES 37.1K

95.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$37.46 VES 31.1K

58.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$45.56 VES 37.8K

204.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$39.26 VES 32.6K

159.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$112 VES 92.7K

859.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$70.8 VES 58.8K

822.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$253 VES 210.0K

661.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$180 VES 149.5K

481.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$238 VES 197.9K

1629.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$170 VES 141.1K

899.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Anaco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $112 in Anaco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 Anaco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 280%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $648 in Anaco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anaco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 233% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $45.69 in Anaco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Anaco, where all-in costs run around $432, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Anaco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anaco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Anaco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.