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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $721 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,155 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,590 in Cotacachi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 43% more expensive than Cotacachi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cotacachi 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.83 $3.83

54.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$19.74 $19.74

65.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.45 $4.45

61.80%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.22 $2.22

-23.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.07 $1.07

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.67 $0.67

7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.96 $1.96

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.90 $3.90

-20.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.09 $1.09

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 $1.56

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.86 $1.86

-25.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.29 $2.29

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.63 $8.63

-49.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.06 $8.06

-27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.62 $7.62

15.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.01 $2.01

11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.88 $0.88

22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.03 $1.03

48.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.30 $1.30

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.38 $1.38

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.10 $1.10

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.84 $0.84

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.02 $1.02

-10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.55 $4.55

-48.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.37 $7.37

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.52 $1.52

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.88 $2.88

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.44 $0.44

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$15.15 $15.15

171.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.21 $1.21

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.97 $0.97

96.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.16 $10.16

-21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.70 $0.70

34.29%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.8K $19.8K

-9.45%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.4K $25.4K

5.60%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.56 $34.56

142.94%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.78 $12.78

-24.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.36 $25.36

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.42 $29.42

-12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$7.88 $7.88

141.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.82 $6.82

-42.52%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$75.7 $75.7

304.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,032 $3,032

95.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$40.96 $40.96

41.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$41.26 $41.26

-22.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$96.0 $96.0

4.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$60.7 $60.7

76.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$262 $262

85.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$178 $178

107.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$424 $424

94.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$343 $343

108.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$598 $598

389.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$520 $520

170.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$434 $434

25.62%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $262 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 26% 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 $190 vs $208, 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $721 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 26% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $262 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 171% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $75.7 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Cotacachi versus $1,034 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 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.