Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Esmeraldas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Esmeraldas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $921 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,389 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,857 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Esmeraldas 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.96 $3.96

51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$32.81 $32.81

0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.11 $4.11

80.54%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.82 $2.82

-41.49%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.52 $0.52

105.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.52 $0.52

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.97 $1.97

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.04 $4.04

-20.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.98 $0.98

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.56 $1.56

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.78 $1.78

-24.72%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.47 $1.47

48.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.89 $8.89

-50.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.98 $7.98

-28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.29 $8.29

2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.03 $2.03

15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.21 $1.21

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.04 $1.04

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.34 $1.34

2.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.38 $1.38

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.07 $1.07

10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.52 $0.52

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.06 $1.06

-18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.16 $6.16

-63.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.84 $7.84

47.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.54 $1.54

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.98 $2.98

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.37 $0.37

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$23.92 $23.92

70.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.28 $1.28

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$9.92 $9.92

-21.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.71 $0.71

42.25%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$19.8K $19.8K

-11.01%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$26.0K $26.0K

1.86%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$33.96 $33.96

138.81%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$14.16 $14.16

-33.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$29.03 $29.03

-17.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$30.45 $30.45

-14.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$14.82 $14.82

26.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.06 $7.06

-42.07%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$275 $275

14.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$8,558 $8,558

-29.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$57.9 $57.9

3.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$42.83 $42.83

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$102 $102

-1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$87.2 $87.2

20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$337 $337

44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$312 $312

17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$630 $630

31.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$489 $489

49.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,272 $1,272

135.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$700 $700

87.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$441 $441

24.76%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $337 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 25% 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 $33.00 in Esmeraldas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $209 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 Esmeraldas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 25% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $337 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $921 in Esmeraldas versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Esmeraldas 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.

Expats usually find Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.