Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antsirabe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antsirabe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $305 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $496 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $686 in Antsirabe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 238% more expensive than in Antsirabe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Antsirabe 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.01 MGA 4,349

509.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.53 MGA 62.4K

124.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.51 MGA 19.4K

62.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.32 MGA 5,656

30.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.85 MGA 3,667

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.58 MGA 2,474

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.53 MGA 6,562

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.38 MGA 1,635

176.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.46 MGA 1,953

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.59 MGA 2,524

137.29%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$0.84 MGA 3,592

157.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.82 MGA 33.5K

-43.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.67 MGA 15.8K

60.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.95 MGA 17.0K

118.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.70 MGA 3,013

225.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.28 MGA 1,209

296.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.65 MGA 2,780

135.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.32 MGA 1,361

321.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.21 MGA 897

438.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.46 MGA 1,960

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.09 MGA 398

844.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.45 MGA 1,950

102.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.14 MGA 22.1K

140.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.09 MGA 392

833.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$37.61 MGA 161.4K

114.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$62.8 MGA 269.5K

-61.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$16.34 MGA 70.1K

53.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$67.9 MGA 291.3K

602.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$44.23 MGA 189.8K

750.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$218 MGA 935.2K

287.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$158 MGA 677.0K

362.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $67.9 in Antsirabe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $95.0 per month, with Antsirabe 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 Antsirabe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antsirabe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 238% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $458 in Antsirabe 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: $477 in Medellin versus $67.9 in Antsirabe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Antsirabe – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $305 in Antsirabe versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Antsirabe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Antsirabe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Antsirabe is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Antsirabe 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 Antsirabe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.