Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotacachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotacachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $716 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,137 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,557 in Cotacachi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 40% more expensive than in Cotacachi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Cotacachi 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.66 $3.66

61.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$20.20 $20.20

63.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.55 $4.55

63.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,212

$2.21 $2.21

-25.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,472

$1.08 $1.08

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,461

$0.71 $0.71

9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,417

$1.95 $1.95

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.03 $4.03

-21.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,478

$1.11 $1.11

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,966

$1.56 $1.56

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,354

$1.87 $1.87

-26.20%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,866

$2.21 $2.21

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$8.52 $8.52

-47.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$7.68 $7.68

-24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$7.32 $7.32

22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,315

$2.01 $2.01

15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,356

$0.88 $0.88

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,779

$1.04 $1.04

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,274

$1.28 $1.28

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$1.44 $1.44

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,841

$0.83 $0.83

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$1.01 $1.01

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,041

$4.45 $4.45

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.43 $7.43

63.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$1.59 $1.59

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,823

$2.95 $2.95

-15.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.48 $0.48

77.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.2K

$14.77 $14.77

181.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,463

$1.22 $1.22

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,147

$0.90 $0.90

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.9K

$9.90 $9.90

-20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,122

$0.71 $0.71

39.44%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$19.6K $19.6K

-10.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.5M

$25.7K $25.7K

4.31%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$34.89 $34.89

137.92%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$12.55 $12.55

-22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.99 $25.99

-9.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$30.43 $30.43

-16.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$8.13 $8.13

134.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.89 $6.89

-42.67%

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

$316 COP 995.3K

$74.2 $74.2

325.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,032 $3,032

97.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$42.10 $42.10

42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$41.46 $41.46

-23.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$96.1 $96.1

5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.7K

$61.0 $61.0

76.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$270 $270

75.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$174 $174

114.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$413 $413

105.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$345 $345

108.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$588 $588

455.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$520 $520

176.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$428 $428

45.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.19

20.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $270 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Cotacachi. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $205, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cotacachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cotacachi differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $716 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $270 in Cotacachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotacachi runs roughly 182% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $74.2 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $716 in Cotacachi versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cotacachi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotacachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.