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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $776 in Araxa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,256 in Araxa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,736 in Araxa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than in Araxa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Araxa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.36 R$27.37

14.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.45 R$140

18.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.26 R$31.97

17.25%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.81 R$9.26

-4.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.11 R$5.69

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.61 R$3.13

26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.82 R$9.29

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.63 R$13.42

20.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.14 R$5.81

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.45 R$7.42

-10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.14 R$5.83

22.81%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.93 R$9.89

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.43 R$58.4

-61.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.54 R$18.08

66.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.42 R$37.94

16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.05 R$10.50

11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.30 R$6.65

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.20 R$6.11

27.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.50 R$7.69

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.15 R$5.88

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.06 R$5.43

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.75 R$3.85

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.65 R$3.33

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.10 R$10.76

11.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.65 R$39.10

61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.13 R$5.75

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.00 R$10.24

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.05 R$5.34

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.08 R$200

3.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.05 R$5.39

35.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.70 R$3.58

174.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.28 R$32.08

21.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.99 R$5.04

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.0K R$107.3K

-14.11%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.6K R$141.3K

-3.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$59.4 R$304

36.00%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.42 R$68.6

-25.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.33 R$88.6

39.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.27 R$109

17.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.64 R$111

-11.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.73 R$29.26

-30.54%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$356 R$1,818

-14.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,373 R$32.6K

-4.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.1 R$302

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.46 R$186

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$80.2 R$410

25.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$58.8 R$300

83.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$319 R$1,633

49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$214 R$1,094

75.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$585 R$2,989

44.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$433 R$2,214

68.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,614 R$8,248

99.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,172 R$5,990

17.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$238 R$1,214

159.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Araxa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $319 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Araxa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $184 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 33% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $319 in Araxa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $776 in Araxa – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Araxa runs roughly 4% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $776 in Araxa versus $1,031 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 $776 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.