Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kawasoti Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kawasoti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $363 in Kawasoti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $607 in Kawasoti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $851 in Kawasoti.

Living in Medellin is roughly 179% more expensive than Kawasoti, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kawasoti 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$1.84 NPRΒ 280
225.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$18.84 NPRΒ 2,867
74.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$6.39 NPRΒ 973
10.95%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$1.86 NPRΒ 282
-8.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.50 NPRΒ 76.3
120.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.16 NPRΒ 23.68
387.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$2.53 NPRΒ 385
-33.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$3.55 NPRΒ 540
-13.52%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$0.82 NPRΒ 125
32.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.55 NPRΒ 84.3
129.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$0.99 NPRΒ 150
39.39%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$1.85 NPRΒ 281
18.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$8.73 NPRΒ 1,329
-49.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$2.89 NPRΒ 440
94.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$6.18 NPRΒ 941
43.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$2.28 NPRΒ 347
2.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$0.86 NPRΒ 130
23.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$0.70 NPRΒ 107
114.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$0.53 NPRΒ 81.4
160.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$0.37 NPRΒ 57.0
210.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$0.49 NPRΒ 74.0
136.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$0.37 NPRΒ 56.8
140.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.25 NPRΒ 37.99
236.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$2.89 NPRΒ 440
-21.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$2.56 NPRΒ 390
315.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$2.34 NPRΒ 355
-48.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$2.97 NPRΒ 452
-16.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$0.18 NPRΒ 27.95
377.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$0.76 NPRΒ 115
93.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$0.92 NPRΒ 141
113.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$2.14 NPRΒ 325
261.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$1.25 NPRΒ 190
-24.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$31.9K NPRΒ 4.9M
-43.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$41.0K NPRΒ 6.2M
-35.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$17.95 NPRΒ 2,732
358.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$3.58 NPRΒ 545
165.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$7.20 NPRΒ 1,095
236.53%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$18.35 NPRΒ 2,793
41.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
$7.41 NPRΒ 1,128
156.41%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$1.83 NPRΒ 279
114.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$92.8 NPRΒ 14.1K
233.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$3,726 NPRΒ 567.1K
60.11%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$14.52 NPRΒ 2,210
303.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$11.08 NPRΒ 1,687
191.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$21.98 NPRΒ 3,345
366.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$11.07 NPRΒ 1,684
879.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$104 NPRΒ 15.9K
356.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$62.7 NPRΒ 9,549
503.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$208 NPRΒ 31.7K
302.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$147 NPRΒ 22.4K
392.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kawasoti
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$234 NPRΒ 35.6K
119.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
12
11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kawasoti: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $104 in Kawasoti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 119% 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 $19.00 in Kawasoti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $136 per month, with Kawasoti 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 Kawasoti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Kawasoti?
Medellin and Kawasoti differ by about 179% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $363 including rent). Kawasoti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Kawasoti?
Medellin pays 119% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Kawasoti?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $104 in Kawasoti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Kawasoti?
All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $363 in Kawasoti – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $363 in Kawasoti versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawasoti but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kawasoti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Kawasoti?
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.
Is Medellin or Kawasoti safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kawasoti are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Kawasoti?
Expats usually find Kawasoti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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