Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Machala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Machala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $639 in Machala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,015 in Machala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,391 in Machala.

Living in Medellin is roughly 157% more expensive than in Machala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Machala is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.77 $2.77

190.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$24.62 $24.62

96.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.23 $5.23

80.11%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.60 $2.60

13.08%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.83 $0.83

124.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.67 $0.67

117.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.03 $2.03

58.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.71 $3.71

53.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.10 $1.10

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.10 $1.10

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.90 $0.90

88.89%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.46 $1.46

97.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.30 $3.30

204.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.17 $4.17

139.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.62 $4.62

207.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.46 $1.46

172.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.59 $0.59

167.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.74 $0.74

190.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.53 $0.53

333.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.42 $0.42

376.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.52 $0.52

190.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.36 $0.36

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.99 $0.99

29.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.28 $4.28

-10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.53 $7.53

86.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.57 $1.57

8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.12 $2.12

29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.36 $0.36

247.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$20.56 $20.56

278.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.23 $1.23

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.78 $1.78

21.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.17 $8.17

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.59 $0.59

130.51%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$17.8K $17.8K

54.57%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$22.0K $22.0K

65.72%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$36.01 $36.01

368.54%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$14.70 $14.70

-7.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$25.08 $25.08

12.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$43.06 $43.06

6.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$16.40 $16.40

5.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.12 $5.12

29.88%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$137 $137

486.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,139 $6,139

49.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$65.2 $65.2

33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$40.11 $40.11

48.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$78.6 $78.6

76.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$67.6 $67.6

50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$193 $193

456.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$135 $135

382.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$354 $354

444.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$261 $261

301.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,197 $1,197

244.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$772 $772

119.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$443 $443

47.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Machala: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $193 in Machala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 48% 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 $25.00 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $135 per month, with Machala 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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $193 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $639 in Machala – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Machala versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Machala 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 Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.