Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araxa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araxa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,555 in Medellin versus $850 in Araxa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $1,360 in Araxa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $1,871 in Araxa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 83% more expensive than in Araxa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 15% above, Araxa is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$5.61 R$29.32

35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$27.27 R$142

64.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$7.20 R$37.59

28.33%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$1.99 R$10.40

48.24%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$1.22 R$6.36

47.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$0.78 R$4.08

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$1.95 R$10.19

50.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$2.85 R$14.90

91.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$1.21 R$6.30

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$1.58 R$8.25

51.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$1.25 R$6.51

28.00%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$2.17 R$11.33

32.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$12.14 R$63.4

-20.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

$4.19 R$21.86

125.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

$8.17 R$42.66

62.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$2.09 R$10.90

79.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

$1.22 R$6.40

18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

$1.16 R$6.07

81.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

$1.54 R$8.05

38.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

$1.14 R$5.96

68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

$1.07 R$5.58

42.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$0.75 R$3.94

45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

$0.80 R$4.19

47.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

$2.34 R$12.24

61.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

$7.47 R$39.03

76.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

$1.18 R$6.17

38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

$2.01 R$10.52

13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$1.10 R$5.75

7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

$45.29 R$237

62.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

$1.17 R$6.12

9.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

$0.78 R$4.06

153.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

$6.58 R$34.36

19.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$1.08 R$5.64

19.44%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

$22.6K R$118.3K

18.24%

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

$32.0K R$167.3K

8.31%

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

$158 COP 513.6K

$71.7 R$374

120.22%

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

$13.06 R$68.2

2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

$18.94 R$98.9

44.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

$23.31 R$122

89.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

$28.59 R$149

-44.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$6.33 R$33.04

0.95%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$381 R$1,988

103.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

$7,490 R$39.1K

17.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

$63.4 R$331

30.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

$37.54 R$196

49.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

$84.0 R$439

55.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

$61.7 R$322

55.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$346 R$1,806

190.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$228 R$1,191

174.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

$650 R$3,395

180.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

$458 R$2,392

111.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$1,519 R$7,933

157.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$1,228 R$6,410

28.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$238 R$1,244

160.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Araxa: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Medellin and $346 in Araxa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 160% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Araxa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $197 per month, with Araxa 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 Araxa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Araxa wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Araxa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 160% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Medellin versus $346 in Araxa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,555 per month in Medellin versus $850 in Araxa – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Araxa runs roughly 63% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $850 in Araxa versus $1,555 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Araxa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Araxa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Araxa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $850 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Araxa hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Araxa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.