Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Ayora Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Ayora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $729 in Puerto Ayora, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in Puerto Ayora, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,667 in Puerto Ayora, rent included.

Medellin costs about 131% more than Puerto Ayora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Puerto Ayora is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.53 $3.53

127.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$29.58 $29.58

61.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.71 $6.71

47.39%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.67 $2.67

17.23%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.77 $0.77

148.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.72 $0.72

109.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.02 $2.02

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.03 $3.03

89.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.05 $1.05

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.53 $1.53

62.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.51 $1.51

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.06 $2.06

43.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.06 $6.06

66.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.03 $5.03

101.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.41 $7.41

92.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.64 $1.64

152.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.06 $1.06

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.18 $1.18

90.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.09 $1.09

106.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.20 $1.20

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.02 $1.02

50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.74 $0.74

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.02 $1.02

28.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.37 $5.37

-27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.59 $8.59

63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.47 $1.47

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.13 $3.13

-8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.36 $0.36

238.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$18.39 $18.39

337.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.39 $1.39

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.09 $1.09

100.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.85 $9.85

-11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.76 $0.76

80.26%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$18.7K $18.7K

48.88%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$26.9K $26.9K

33.21%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$36.94 $36.94

379.97%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$13.06 $13.06

6.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$25.97 $25.97

14.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$29.82 $29.82

50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.00 $17.00

0.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.24 $6.24

6.57%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$227 $227

257.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,428 $5,428

69.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$50.4 $50.4

77.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$48.69 $48.69

21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$89.5 $89.5

54.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$67.4 $67.4

51.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$295 $295

260.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$162 $162

309.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$771 $771

144.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$398 $398

157.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,334 $1,334

213.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$701 $701

138.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$801 $801

-15.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.05

8.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Ayora: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $295 in Puerto Ayora. 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 18% higher in Puerto Ayora, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Puerto Ayora. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $182 – making Puerto Ayora 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 Puerto Ayora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 131%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,093 in Puerto Ayora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Ayora, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $30.00 in Puerto Ayora. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $729 in Puerto Ayora. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Ayora, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Puerto Ayora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Ayora – 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 Puerto Ayora. 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.