Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Nosara $3,814

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Nosara sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$12.34 ₡5,535

-32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$61.3 ₡27.5K

-23.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$7.76 ₡3,481

19.07%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$4.44 ₡1,992

-31.31%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$1.79 ₡803

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$1.29 ₡580

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$3.24 ₡1,451

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$4.43 ₡1,985

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.55 ₡696

-3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$3.08 ₡1,380

-23.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$2.53 ₡1,133

-32.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$3.45 ₡1,546

-14.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$7.32 ₡3,284

39.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$10.24 ₡4,594

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$14.10 ₡6,326

-1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$2.29 ₡1,027

80.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.64 ₡737

-6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$4.79 ₡2,149

-53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$1.64 ₡735

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$3.85 ₡1,727

-48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$3.75 ₡1,681

-55.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$1.09 ₡488

8.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$2.59 ₡1,160

-52.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$5.12 ₡2,295

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$19.92 ₡8,931

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$2.80 ₡1,255

-40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$3.52 ₡1,580

-31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$1.22 ₡549

1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$73.9 ₡33.1K

5.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$2.17 ₡973

-41.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$1.56 ₡698

37.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$8.67 ₡3,886

-3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.55 ₡697

-12.90%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

0.62%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-10.49%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$94.8 ₡42.5K

75.75%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$36.15 ₡16.2K

-62.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$53.1 ₡23.8K

-45.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-38.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$35.63 ₡16.0K

-51.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$7.91 ₡3,548

-11.88%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$490 ₡219.9K

61.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$54.8 ₡24.6K

60.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$55.9 ₡25.1K

4.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$80.4 ₡36.0K

72.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$801 ₡359.1K

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$790 ₡354.1K

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$1,409 ₡632.0K

-28.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-43.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$1,236 ₡554.3K

37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$887 ₡397.6K

-25.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.62

26.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Nosara

$790 43% 27.5% $170

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 17.4% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Nosara

$184 10% 12.1% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 29.9% $52

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 24.5% $42

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 6.8% $6.5

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 51.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $801 in Nosara. 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 34% higher in Nosara, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $350 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:01 10:01 AM

09:01 9:01 AM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

4,912

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Nosara 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,835 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 13%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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