Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asuncion Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asuncion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $773 in Asuncion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,184 in Asuncion, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,596 in Asuncion, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Asuncion, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Asuncion 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.28 ₲26.1K

39.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.53 ₲161.7K

23.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.71 ₲28.7K

50.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.88 ₲11.5K

-9.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.82 ₲5,012

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.49 ₲3,004

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.42 ₲8,664

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.92 ₲11.7K

59.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.84 ₲5,135

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.00 ₲6,094

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.99 ₲6,056

39.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.58 ₲9,607

38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.81 ₲41.5K

-35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.13 ₲19.1K

79.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.76 ₲41.2K

31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.97 ₲12.0K

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.72 ₲4,392

47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.93 ₲5,673

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.65 ₲10.0K

-16.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.06 ₲6,463

8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.13 ₲6,856

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.55 ₲3,357

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.56 ₲3,396

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.36 ₲8,263

67.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.37 ₲51.0K

27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.72 ₲4,402

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.40 ₲8,515

76.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.44 ₲2,691

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$25.15 ₲153.3K

64.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.60 ₲3,665

145.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.78 ₲4,751

151.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.61 ₲52.5K

-10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.87 ₲5,331

9.20%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$14.7K ₲89.6M

23.35%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.0K ₲146.4M

10.25%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$43.01 ₲262.1K

91.23%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.65 ₲83.2K

-30.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$14.92 ₲90.9K

62.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$27.62 ₲168.3K

-6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.59 ₲70.6K

63.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.94 ₲30.1K

-20.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$163 ₲990.4K

90.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,228 ₲19.7M

84.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.74 ₲303.2K

17.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$31.28 ₲190.7K

3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$71.7 ₲437.0K

43.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$52.3 ₲318.6K

107.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$394 ₲2.4M

21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$293 ₲1.8M

29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$728 ₲4.4M

15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$476 ₲2.9M

52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,687 ₲10.3M

65.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,220 ₲7.4M

-0.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$647 ₲3.9M

-20.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $394 in Asuncion. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Asuncion, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $149 – making Asuncion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,159 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Asuncion, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $163 in Asuncion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Asuncion, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Asuncion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Asuncion – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Asuncion. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.