Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Masaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Masaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $719 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,155 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,592 in Masaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Masaya 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.87 NIO 178

26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.82 NIO 1,275

-6.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.08 NIO 259

3.67%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.39 NIO 87.5

-28.03%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 NIO 28.78

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.76 NIO 27.65

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.35 NIO 49.32

25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.02 NIO 74.0

56.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.27 NIO 46.52

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.46 NIO 89.9

-47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.82 NIO 66.6

-23.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.23 NIO 81.7

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.14 NIO 408

-60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.77 NIO 248

-13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.88 NIO 289

9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.93 NIO 144

-41.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.89 NIO 32.74

24.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.76 NIO 64.6

-13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.95 NIO 145

-71.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.24 NIO 81.9

-49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.06 NIO 38.81

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.06 NIO 38.70

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.63 NIO 96.3

-11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.63 NIO 536

-15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.42 NIO 52.0

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.17 NIO 79.5

14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.46 NIO 53.5

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.63 NIO 243

15.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.30 NIO 47.49

-23.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.6K NIO 827.8K

-20.23%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.5K NIO 970.1K

0.52%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$97.0 NIO 3,552

-16.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.99 NIO 622

-41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.80 NIO 1,384

-36.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.23 NIO 301

-51.64%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$122 NIO 4,474

149.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,919 NIO 216.8K

2.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$76.6 NIO 2,805

-24.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$73.1 NIO 2,675

-55.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$133 NIO 4,878

-24.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$109 NIO 3,996

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.25

31.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Masaya: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Masaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $261 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Masaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,078 in Masaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Masaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 35% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masaya, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Masaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masaya – 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 Masaya. 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.