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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $294 in Antsirabe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $471 in Antsirabe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $648 in Antsirabe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 244% more expensive than Antsirabe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Antsirabe 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.01 MGA 4,249

493.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.27 MGA 59.8K

130.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.33 MGA 18.1K

63.74%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.35 MGA 5,651

26.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.81 MGA 3,394

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.53 MGA 2,239

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.51 MGA 6,321

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.41 MGA 1,721

165.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.42 MGA 1,752

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.58 MGA 2,411

137.93%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$0.79 MGA 3,304

177.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.59 MGA 31.8K

-42.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.73 MGA 15.6K

50.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.08 MGA 17.1K

117.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.69 MGA 2,882

239.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.28 MGA 1,179

278.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.64 MGA 2,679

134.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.35 MGA 1,449

294.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.21 MGA 879

447.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.43 MGA 1,798

169.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.09 MGA 363

888.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.43 MGA 1,796

95.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.09 MGA 395

855.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$37.91 MGA 158.9K

116.96%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$62.2 MGA 260.9K

-61.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$16.58 MGA 69.5K

56.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$67.9 MGA 284.6K

601.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$44.67 MGA 187.3K

747.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$218 MGA 914.7K

284.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$155 MGA 650.2K

366.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 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 $14.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $84.0 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 244% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $441 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: $476 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 125% 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 $14.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $294 in Antsirabe versus $1,013 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 244% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.