Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Atenas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in Atenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,463 in Atenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,488 in Atenas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Atenas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Atenas sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Atenas by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.93 ₡4,445

-19.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$56.3 ₡25.2K

-14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.51 ₡5,152

-18.16%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$3.83 ₡1,714

-23.24%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$2.61 ₡1,167

-28.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$1.87 ₡835

-21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$3.39 ₡1,515

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.44 ₡1,987

28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$2.34 ₡1,046

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$3.13 ₡1,400

-23.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$2.24 ₡1,003

-24.11%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$3.51 ₡1,569

-17.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$10.55 ₡4,721

-4.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$9.64 ₡4,313

3.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.19 ₡4,559

39.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.33 ₡1,937

-8.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.64 ₡736

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$2.68 ₡1,199

-19.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$2.44 ₡1,092

-5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$3.65 ₡1,635

-45.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$2.65 ₡1,187

-43.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.09 ₡486

10.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$3.13 ₡1,400

-59.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.82 ₡2,605

-34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$18.60 ₡8,326

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.74 ₡1,228

-37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$2.56 ₡1,147

7.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$2.14 ₡959

-41.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$2.47 ₡1,106

-46.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.59 ₡711

36.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.54 ₡3,821

-2.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.53 ₡684

-11.11%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$21.7K ₡9.7M

26.65%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$34.3K ₡15.4M

6.46%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$95.9 ₡42.9K

75.86%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$35.80 ₡16.0K

-62.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.8 ₡23.6K

-46.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$48.73 ₡21.8K

-6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$10.91 ₡4,882

57.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.44 ₡3,777

-21.21%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$995 ₡445.2K

-19.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,540 ₡2.9M

40.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$70.7 ₡31.6K

23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$55.8 ₡25.0K

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$128 ₡57.3K

8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$130 ₡58.4K

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$613 ₡274.4K

74.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$446 ₡199.5K

46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,524 ₡682.2K

26.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,244 ₡556.9K

-15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,323 ₡592.0K

-50.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Atenas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $613 in Atenas. 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 102% higher in Atenas, 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 $56.0 in Atenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $357 – making Medellin 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 Atenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $2,157 in Atenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Atenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Atenas, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Atenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Atenas. 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.