Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guayaquil Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guayaquil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,109 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,765 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,422 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Guayaquil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Guayaquil is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$4.12 $4.12

94.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.3K

$52.7 $52.7

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$9.10 $9.10

7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,185

$2.81 $2.81

3.56%

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

$1.94 COP 6,134

$0.90 $0.90

115.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,801

$0.71 $0.71

114.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,759

$2.98 $2.98

3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.55 $4.55

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,304

$1.16 $1.16

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,534

$2.00 $2.00

19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,366

$1.45 $1.45

17.24%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,056

$2.07 $2.07

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.4K

$7.11 $7.11

39.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$5.01 $5.01

115.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.5K

$9.20 $9.20

60.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$1.52 $1.52

169.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,960

$1.19 $1.19

31.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,708

$0.99 $0.99

115.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,985

$0.90 $0.90

145.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,460

$1.28 $1.28

60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,747

$0.91 $0.91

64.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,755

$0.82 $0.82

45.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,654

$1.02 $1.02

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.04 $6.04

-35.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.6K

$12.10 $12.10

19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,997

$1.49 $1.49

6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,923

$2.20 $2.20

28.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

$0.34 $0.34

244.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

$19.66 $19.66

295.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,054

$2.80 $2.80

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,602

$1.72 $1.72

21.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$12.19 $12.19

-29.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,096

$0.83 $0.83

56.63%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

$21.1K $21.1K

30.97%

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

$30.7K $30.7K

15.75%

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

$176 COP 555.6K

$127 $127

38.56%

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

$13.37 COP 42.2K

$14.97 $14.97

-10.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.3K

$25.14 $25.14

18.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

$46.01 $46.01

-2.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

$26.48 $26.48

-35.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.6K

$7.72 $7.72

-19.69%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$407 $407

94.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

$5,935 $5,935

51.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 270.1K

$65.6 $65.6

30.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.5K

$40.34 $40.34

44.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 430.1K

$123 $123

10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 325.4K

$91.5 $91.5

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$461 $461

129.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$399 $399

70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$803 $803

150.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$738 $738

58.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

$2,333 $2,333

76.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$1,437 $1,437

18.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$611 $611

8.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.05

8.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $461 in Guayaquil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Guayaquil. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $200 in Guayaquil – so Guayaquil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,663 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guayaquil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $407 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,109, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Guayaquil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.