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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $727 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,189 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,651 in Cotacachi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 131% more expensive than in Cotacachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Cotacachi is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$4.10 $4.10

95.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$25.67 $25.67

86.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$4.53 $4.53

118.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$2.12 $2.12

47.64%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$1.29 $1.29

48.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.82 $0.82

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$1.96 $1.96

59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.98 $3.98

44.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$1.16 $1.16

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$1.52 $1.52

63.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$1.51 $1.51

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$2.17 $2.17

36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$6.56 $6.56

53.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$5.64 $5.64

79.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$7.07 $7.07

102.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$2.20 $2.20

88.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.13 $1.13

42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.27 $1.27

77.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$1.09 $1.09

106.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$1.19 $1.19

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$1.03 $1.03

49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$0.83 $0.83

40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$1.06 $1.06

23.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$4.55 $4.55

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$7.67 $7.67

82.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.57 $1.57

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$3.05 $3.05

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$0.45 $0.45

171.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

$14.81 $14.81

443.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$1.29 $1.29

1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.97 $0.97

125.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$10.12 $10.12

-13.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$0.74 $0.74

85.14%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$20.8K $20.8K

34.07%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$28.3K $28.3K

26.56%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$28.80 $28.80

515.63%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$12.93 $12.93

7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$26.49 $26.49

12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

$30.58 $30.58

46.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

$10.14 $10.14

68.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$6.87 $6.87

-3.20%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$75.4 $75.4

978.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$3,014 $3,014

204.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$42.28 $42.28

111.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$42.72 $42.72

38.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$94.2 $94.2

46.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$60.1 $60.1

69.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$265 $265

300.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$188 $188

252.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$466 $466

305.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$418 $418

145.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

$595 $595

603.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$505 $505

231.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$427 $427

58.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.12

8.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $265 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 59% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Cotacachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $190 per month, with Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cotacachi differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $727 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $265 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 443% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $75.4 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $727 in Cotacachi versus $1,681 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 131% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.