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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $690 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,104 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,519 in Azua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 145% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Azua is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.39 DOP 493

-5.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$42.48 DOP 2,498

4.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.32 DOP 431

26.91%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.35 DOP 79.5

114.81%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.70 DOP 41.23

158.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.42 DOP 24.93

269.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.53 DOP 149

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$4.21 DOP 247

39.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.19 DOP 70.2

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.78 DOP 104

37.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.11 DOP 65.3

36.04%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.56 DOP 91.5

78.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.52 DOP 383

38.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.68 DOP 216

189.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$4.84 DOP 285

202.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.90 DOP 229

1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.49 DOP 87.7

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.41 DOP 201

-32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.24 DOP 131

-9.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$3.71 DOP 218

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.04 DOP 179

-46.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.95 DOP 56.0

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.72 DOP 101

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.10 DOP 300

-20.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$16.76 DOP 986

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.97 DOP 175

-46.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.47 DOP 204

-13.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.52 DOP 148

-36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$3.34 DOP 196

-36.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.38 DOP 81.3

-2.17%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$15.7K DOP 922.2K

80.60%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

36.10%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$97.6 DOP 5,741

55.05%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$27.95 DOP 1,643

-53.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$39.09 DOP 2,298

-17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$20.28 DOP 1,193

128.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.11 DOP 300

25.83%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$153 DOP 8,990

446.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,626 DOP 330.8K

57.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$27.04 DOP 1,590

230.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$46.13 DOP 2,713

19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$64.0 DOP 3,765

113.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$68.4 DOP 4,023

59.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$3,671 DOP 215.9K

0.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-5.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Azua: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $42.00 in Azua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $243 per month, with Azua 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,530 in Medellin and $1,034 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $690 in Azua – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $690 in Azua versus $1,687 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 145% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.