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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $894 in Azua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,262 in Azua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,630 in Azua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than in Azua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Azua 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.31 DOP 485

-27.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$51.6 DOP 3,009

-36.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$7.23 DOP 422

2.63%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.35 DOP 78.7

22.22%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.99 DOP 57.6

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.79 DOP 46.20

-3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.47 DOP 144

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.97 DOP 290

-35.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.25 DOP 73.0

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.80 DOP 105

-27.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.06 DOP 61.8

26.42%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.68 DOP 98.0

30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$6.95 DOP 405

-36.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.49 DOP 378

-12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$11.17 DOP 652

-23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.27 DOP 191

-28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$0.85 DOP 49.42

30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.98 DOP 174

-48.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.94 DOP 113

-29.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$2.55 DOP 149

-54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.35 DOP 137

-49.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.14 DOP 66.3

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.95 DOP 55.2

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$5.83 DOP 340

-61.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$17.15 DOP 1,000

-32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$2.61 DOP 152

-54.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.27 DOP 191

-24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$3.38 DOP 197

-56.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$2.17 DOP 127

-11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$6.09 DOP 355

27.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.32 DOP 76.9

-23.48%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-34.44%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$29.3K DOP 1.7M

-9.57%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$77.5 DOP 4,523

4.60%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$25.45 DOP 1,485

-62.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$35.66 DOP 2,080

-33.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.92 DOP 404

-40.90%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$262 DOP 15.3K

19.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$8,182 DOP 477.2K

-26.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$59.7 DOP 3,482

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$51.8 DOP 3,022

-38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$96.1 DOP 5,608

5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$116 DOP 6,766

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$201 DOP 11.7K

81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$3,718 DOP 216.9K

-19.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Azua: June 16, 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 $253 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $1,341 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 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $894 in Azua – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Azua versus $1,028 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 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.