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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $798 in Araxa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,260 in Araxa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,722 in Araxa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 27% more expensive than Araxa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Araxa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.37 R$26.86

11.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.85 R$134

22.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.17 R$30.89

14.91%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.74 R$8.72

-1.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.09 R$5.43

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.63 R$3.13

23.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.84 R$9.23

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.77 R$13.84

10.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.19 R$5.98

-8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.46 R$7.31

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.13 R$5.65

22.12%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.95 R$9.75

12.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.59 R$58.0

-62.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.55 R$17.78

58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.40 R$37.05

20.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.14 R$10.72

9.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.26 R$6.29

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.15 R$5.77

30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.45 R$7.26

-4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.18 R$5.93

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.06 R$5.32

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.71 R$3.54

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.66 R$3.29

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.09 R$10.44

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.82 R$39.13

36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.12 R$5.62

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.02 R$10.10

22.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.03 R$5.17

-16.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$37.85 R$189

9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.07 R$5.34

37.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.76 R$3.80

157.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.54 R$32.73

18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.02 R$5.13

-6.86%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.8K R$104.2K

-12.93%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.1K R$135.6K

-2.27%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$61.4 R$307

33.91%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.74 R$68.8

-30.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$17.46 R$87.4

38.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.22 R$106

22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.45 R$107

-11.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.02 R$30.12

-34.72%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$353 R$1,767

-12.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,581 R$32.9K

-9.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$57.5 R$288

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$36.28 R$182

-10.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$78.8 R$395

30.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$57.7 R$289

87.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$310 R$1,549

53.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$214 R$1,073

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$586 R$2,934

42.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$431 R$2,155

68.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,443 R$7,223

93.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,032 R$5,166

17.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$243 R$1,216

110.68%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Araxa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $310 in Araxa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 111% 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 $188 vs $185 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 27% 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.

Medellin pays 111% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $310 in Araxa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $798 in Araxa – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Araxa runs roughly 9% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Araxa versus $1,013 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 $798 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 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.