Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Apia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Apia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $999 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,575 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,152 in Apia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Apia 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$52.6 WST 144

-88.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.9K

$35.09 WST 96.3

-6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$13.93 WST 38.23

-49.10%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,146

$2.50 WST 6.85

-31.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,944

$2.09 WST 5.74

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,795

$1.25 WST 3.44

-37.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,028

$4.39 WST 12.04

-61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.56 WST 9.78

-13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,925

$1.75 WST 4.79

-37.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,530

$0.78 WST 2.14

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,947

$1.75 WST 4.80

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,867

$4.15 WST 11.38

-47.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$0.85 WST 2.32

417.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$3.59 WST 9.86

56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.9K

$8.25 WST 22.64

7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,391

$5.07 WST 13.91

-53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,796

$1.76 WST 4.83

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,401

$1.81 WST 4.97

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,949

$4.31 WST 11.82

-67.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,132

$3.52 WST 9.67

-67.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,176

$1.06 WST 2.90

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,198

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,012

$1.15 WST 3.16

-26.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,186

$6.14 WST 16.85

-62.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$16.12 WST 44.23

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,305

$1.76 WST 4.84

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,869

$3.61 WST 9.90

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,072

$3.51 WST 9.63

-75.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,290

$5.27 WST 14.46

-72.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,045

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$21.63 WST 59.4

-64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,426

$1.06 WST 2.91

-10.38%

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

$18.1K COP 65.1M

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

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

$82.3 COP 295.2K

$17.78 WST 48.78

362.60%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$17.72 WST 48.63

-46.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.0K

$36.31 WST 99.6

-33.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.2K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.5K

$50.2 WST 138

16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.1K

$40.75 WST 112

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.2K

$74.0 WST 203

38.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.2K

$102 WST 279

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,849 WST 5,073

-60.85%

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 Apia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $234 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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,498 in Apia 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $999 in Apia – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $999 in Apia versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $999 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.