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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,046 in Asuncion, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,627 in Asuncion, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,208 in Asuncion, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Asuncion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Asuncion is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.94 ₲41.0K

15.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$41.46 ₲244.8K

16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.63 ₲39.2K

42.08%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.21 ₲18.9K

-8.41%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.10 ₲6,501

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.63 ₲3,736

131.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.96 ₲11.6K

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.87 ₲11.0K

205.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.22 ₲7,176

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.42 ₲8,359

69.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.33 ₲7,843

27.82%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.38 ₲14.1K

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.46 ₲55.8K

6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.15 ₲30.4K

93.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.06 ₲59.4K

41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.83 ₲16.7K

40.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.27 ₲7,518

24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.18 ₲6,946

82.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.39 ₲14.1K

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.28 ₲7,559

56.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.31 ₲7,762

15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.90 ₲5,308

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.69 ₲4,046

85.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.28 ₲13.5K

68.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.06 ₲53.5K

54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.34 ₲7,915

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.68 ₲9,917

63.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.56 ₲3,306

123.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$37.60 ₲222.0K

107.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.40 ₲8,265

-6.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.48 ₲8,757

46.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$10.01 ₲59.1K

-17.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.16 ₲6,848

17.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$17.1K ₲100.9M

60.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.9K ₲200.0M

7.83%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$48.71 ₲287.6K

246.38%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$16.82 ₲99.3K

-19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$21.36 ₲126.1K

32.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$35.51 ₲209.6K

28.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$14.52 ₲85.7K

18.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.57 ₲50.6K

-22.40%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$180 ₲1.1M

345.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,747 ₲33.9M

59.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$61.2 ₲361.0K

42.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$54.9 ₲324.2K

8.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$103 ₲608.7K

34.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$68.3 ₲403.0K

49.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$624 ₲3.7M

71.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$373 ₲2.2M

74.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,028 ₲6.1M

87.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$635 ₲3.7M

64.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,715 ₲10.1M

140.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,223 ₲7.2M

38.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$713 ₲4.2M

-8.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.15

7.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $624 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 9% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $210 – 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 57%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,570 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 107% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $180 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 $1,046, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.