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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Masaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,138 in Masaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,558 in Masaya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Masaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Masaya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Masaya 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.95 NIO 181

21.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.34 NIO 1,294

-7.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.21 NIO 264

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.44 NIO 89.2

-29.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.84 NIO 30.60

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.75 NIO 27.32

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.29 NIO 47.42

30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.05 NIO 75.2

49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.26 NIO 46.00

-13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.38 NIO 87.0

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.86 NIO 68.2

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.24 NIO 81.9

-2.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.39 NIO 417

-61.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.81 NIO 249

-17.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.92 NIO 290

12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.93 NIO 144

-40.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.83 NIO 30.49

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.81 NIO 66.4

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.21 NIO 81.1

-37.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$4.05 NIO 148

-71.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.19 NIO 80.1

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.01 NIO 37.06

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.04 NIO 38.13

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.68 NIO 98.3

-14.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.69 NIO 538

-27.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.45 NIO 53.3

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.24 NIO 82.1

10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.46 NIO 53.3

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.88 NIO 252

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.36 NIO 49.91

-30.15%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$22.8K NIO 835.6K

-20.53%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.2K NIO 959.3K

1.12%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$98.9 NIO 3,622

-16.84%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.80 NIO 615

-43.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.42 NIO 1,370

-35.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.96 NIO 291

-50.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$124 NIO 4,540

149.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,948 NIO 217.9K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$77.7 NIO 2,846

-24.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$72.7 NIO 2,662

-55.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$130 NIO 4,762

-21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$110 NIO 4,019

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Masaya: June 2, 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: $188 vs $262 – 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 41%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,077 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 39% 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 $718, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.