Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 20% less than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Antigua Guatemala 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.12 Q 39.04

16.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$53.2 Q 405

-38.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.49 Q 49.49

9.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.40 Q 25.90

-49.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.22 Q 9.31

-9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.92 Q 6.98

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.87 Q 29.46

-56.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.60 Q 35.08

-33.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.94 Q 14.79

-43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.08 Q 23.47

-59.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.64 Q 12.52

-15.85%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.55 Q 19.45

-14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.65 Q 58.3

-42.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.47 Q 64.6

-33.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.28 Q 78.3

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.65 Q 27.85

-35.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.56 Q 11.91

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.08 Q 23.47

-51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.65 Q 12.59

-16.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.76 Q 13.39

-34.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.73 Q 13.15

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.74 Q 5.65

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.23 Q 9.34

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.61 Q 27.50

-36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.98 Q 60.8

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.69 Q 12.87

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.42 Q 18.48

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.97 Q 15.03

-56.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.67 Q 35.60

-68.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.37 Q 117

-49.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.12 Q 8.52

-15.18%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.6K Q 149.4K

-7.52%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.1K Q 168.2K

19.97%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$48.43 Q 369

69.83%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.09 Q 199

-63.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$48.90 Q 373

-50.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.38 Q 308

-35.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$27.77 Q 212

-31.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.31 Q 55.7

-46.24%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$246 Q 1,878

25.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,834 Q 44.5K

2.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$46.64 Q 355

25.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$53.6 Q 409

-39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$101 Q 771

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$83.8 Q 639

29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$879 Q 6,701

-45.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$556 Q 4,237

-31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,010 Q 15.3K

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,247 Q 9,503

-41.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,985 Q 22.8K

-6.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,222 Q 9,312

-0.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$539 Q 4,104

-4.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.5

58.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antigua Guatemala pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $267 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 Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,267 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Antigua Guatemala earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $246 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Antigua Guatemala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.