Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Azua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Azua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $888 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,247 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,606 in Azua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than Azua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Azua 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.71 DOP 515

-32.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$51.8 DOP 3,059

-36.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.25 DOP 429

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.38 DOP 81.3

23.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.03 DOP 60.9

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.79 DOP 46.42

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.52 DOP 149

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.95 DOP 292

-37.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.20 DOP 70.8

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.74 DOP 103

-28.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.08 DOP 64.1

28.70%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.63 DOP 96.1

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.16 DOP 423

-39.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.14 DOP 363

-4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.81 DOP 639

-18.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.34 DOP 197

-32.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.85 DOP 50.4

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.01 DOP 178

-49.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.95 DOP 115

-29.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.55 DOP 151

-55.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.36 DOP 139

-52.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.12 DOP 66.3

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.95 DOP 55.9

-4.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.91 DOP 349

-60.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.59 DOP 685

-3.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.61 DOP 154

-54.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.15 DOP 186

-24.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.33 DOP 197

-56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.11 DOP 125

-9.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.88 DOP 347

36.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.33 DOP 78.5

-29.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-33.47%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.7K DOP 1.8M

-9.71%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$77.2 DOP 4,563

8.73%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$25.20 DOP 1,489

-61.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$36.27 DOP 2,143

-33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.83 DOP 403

-42.61%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$267 DOP 15.8K

14.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,222 DOP 485.8K

-28.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$60.7 DOP 3,587

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$52.7 DOP 3,111

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$95.1 DOP 5,620

5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$115 DOP 6,776

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$207 DOP 12.2K

77.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,604 DOP 212.9K

-18.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.9

4.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Azua: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $52.0 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $239 per month, with Medellin 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 Azua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Azua is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,332 in Azua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $888 in Azua – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $888 in Azua versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Azua but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Azua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Azua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Azua are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Azua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.