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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $466 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $715 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $965 in Antsirabe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 252% more expensive than in Antsirabe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Antsirabe is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.14 MGA 4,940

605.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$16.12 MGA 69.8K

199.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.97 MGA 25.9K

57.79%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.36 MGA 5,899

116.18%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.79 MGA 3,408

135.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.46 MGA 1,997

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.05 MGA 4,555

205.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.27 MGA 9,847

151.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.97 MGA 4,203

48.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.03 MGA 4,457

133.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.74 MGA 3,194

129.73%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.14 MGA 9,285

35.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.85 MGA 38.3K

13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.50 MGA 19.5K

121.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.87 MGA 21.1K

191.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.13 MGA 4,893

252.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.57 MGA 2,450

177.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.03 MGA 4,465

108.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.84 MGA 3,654

173.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.57 MGA 2,473

250.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.96 MGA 4,180

57.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.35 MGA 1,523

242.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.45 MGA 1,947

184.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.59 MGA 6,895

141.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.10 MGA 22.1K

174.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.02 MGA 4,399

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.90 MGA 8,250

44.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.43 MGA 14.9K

-61.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.13 MGA 9,210

1.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.71 MGA 20.4K

76.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.17 MGA 5,052

16.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$12.1K MGA 52.5M

126.54%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.0K MGA 112.7M

40.43%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$76.5 MGA 331.3K

120.66%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.50 MGA 75.8K

-22.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$57.7 MGA 250.0K

-50.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.79 MGA 25.1K

14.85%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$25.69 MGA 111.3K

3027.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

-39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$29.96 MGA 129.8K

191.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$28.66 MGA 124.2K

107.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.7 MGA 345.3K

74.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$71.0 MGA 307.5K

43.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

15.75

-30.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $16.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $142 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 252% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $699 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $466 in Antsirabe – a 252% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $466 in Antsirabe versus $1,641 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 252% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.