Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Añasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Añasco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,466 in Añasco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,068 in Añasco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,670 in Añasco.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 31% less than in Añasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Añasco is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$12.10 $12.10

-50.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$49.66 $49.66

-32.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$4.93 $4.93

46.65%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$2.21 $2.21

-26.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.99 $0.99

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$1.02 $1.02

-28.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$1.53 $1.53

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.52 $3.52

-8.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.82 $1.82

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.48 $3.48

-62.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.68 $1.68

-21.43%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$2.46 $2.46

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$4.45 $4.45

-2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$8.25 $8.25

-28.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$8.66 $8.66

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$5.72 $5.72

-60.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.71 $2.71

-60.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$4.01 $4.01

-62.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$3.99 $3.99

-64.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$4.07 $4.07

-71.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$2.97 $2.97

-60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$3.00 $3.00

-70.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.92 $1.92

-53.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$4.29 $4.29

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$15.30 $15.30

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.45 $1.45

-21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$2.04 $2.04

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.54 $1.54

23.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$14.92 $14.92

-48.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$0.95 $0.95

6.32%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$35.6K $35.6K

-50.66%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.56%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$351 $351

-76.15%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$80.3 $80.3

-88.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$74.6 $74.6

-67.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$30.25 $30.25

-16.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$8.38 $8.38

-51.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$400 $400

-22.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$4,750 $4,750

26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$28.68 $28.68

102.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$30.08 $30.08

8.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$74.2 $74.2

34.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$92.6 $92.6

17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$453 $453

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$295 $295

28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$686 $686

21.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$455 $455

58.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.71

135.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Añasco: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $453 in Añasco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $50.0 in Añasco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $326 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Añasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Añasco differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,466 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $2,199 in Añasco 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 $453 in Añasco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Añasco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,466 in Añasco – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,466 in Añasco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Añasco. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Añasco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.