Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Escazu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Escazu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,922 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,968 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,014 in Escazu.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 13% less than in Escazu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Escazu 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$12.15 ₡5,401

-33.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$58.9 ₡26.2K

-18.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$11.48 ₡5,101

-13.85%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$4.30 ₡1,912

-27.21%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$2.68 ₡1,192

-28.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$1.93 ₡858

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$3.31 ₡1,469

-5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.33 ₡1,926

32.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$2.34 ₡1,040

-38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$3.13 ₡1,391

-20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$2.42 ₡1,076

-26.86%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$3.52 ₡1,565

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$11.00 ₡4,890

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$10.60 ₡4,713

-4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$14.12 ₡6,278

1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$5.07 ₡2,253

-18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.61 ₡714

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$3.20 ₡1,422

-29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$3.16 ₡1,403

-28.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$3.77 ₡1,675

-45.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$3.71 ₡1,651

-58.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$1.00 ₡445

17.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$1.71 ₡759

-23.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$5.54 ₡2,461

-29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$19.25 ₡8,556

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.67 ₡743

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$2.77 ₡1,232

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$1.11 ₡495

9.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$2.10 ₡932

-37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$1.63 ₡726

34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$8.77 ₡3,896

-0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.47 ₡652

-6.80%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$21.8K ₡9.7M

27.45%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$34.7K ₡15.4M

3.21%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$97.4 ₡43.3K

81.98%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$30.08 ₡13.4K

-53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$63.0 ₡28.0K

-52.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

$109 ₡48.4K

-58.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

$9.96 ₡4,427

71.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$8.36 ₡3,715

-20.45%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$450 ₡199.9K

80.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$17.0K ₡7.5M

-45.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$72.7 ₡32.3K

23.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$55.4 ₡24.6K

6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$133 ₡58.9K

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$134 ₡59.7K

-23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$843 ₡374.7K

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$836 ₡371.6K

-20.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,922 ₡854.0K

-1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,497 ₡665.2K

-31.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

$1,378 ₡612.4K

203.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$945 ₡420.1K

77.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,803 ₡801.3K

-62.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Escazu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $843 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 166% 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 $59.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $366 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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 166% lower in Escazu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $843 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,922 in Escazu – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,922 in Escazu, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Escazu. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Escazu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Escazu 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.