Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sosua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sosua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Sosua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,065 in Sosua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,925 in Sosua, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Sosua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sosua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sosua 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.60 DOP 508

-31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$50.2 DOP 2,967

-34.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.94 DOP 410

3.75%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.65 DOP 157

-35.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.03 DOP 60.9

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.82 DOP 48.56

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.51 DOP 148

-33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.03 DOP 297

-38.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.38 DOP 81.7

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.78 DOP 105

-29.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.12 DOP 66.0

24.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.88 DOP 111

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.05 DOP 417

-38.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.36 DOP 376

-8.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.71 DOP 456

14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.59 DOP 153

-13.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.83 DOP 49.20

30.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.93 DOP 173

-47.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.98 DOP 117

-30.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.27 DOP 134

-50.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.31 DOP 136

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.04 DOP 61.4

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.74 DOP 43.93

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.64 DOP 333

-58.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.76 DOP 695

-5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.55 DOP 151

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.45 DOP 145

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.71 DOP 42.17

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.49 DOP 206

-58.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.22 DOP 131

-13.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.01 DOP 355

33.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.32 DOP 77.9

-28.79%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.7K DOP 1.6M

-32.78%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.6K DOP 1.9M

-15.10%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$77.0 DOP 4,548

9.08%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.62 DOP 1,218

-53.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$35.91 DOP 2,122

-32.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$25.69 DOP 1,518

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.78 DOP 401

-42.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$263 DOP 15.5K

16.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,391 DOP 377.6K

-7.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.1 DOP 3,609

-5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.5 DOP 3,044

-38.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$94.5 DOP 5,583

5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$115 DOP 6,799

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$466 DOP 27.5K

4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$481 DOP 28.4K

-23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,455 DOP 86.0K

-43.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,269 DOP 75.0K

-43.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,844 DOP 108.9K

58.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,761 DOP 104.1K

-20.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.9

4.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sosua: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $466 in Sosua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Sosua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $225 – 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 Sosua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sosua is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,809 in Sosua. 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Sosua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sosua, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Sosua at $1,206. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sosua 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.

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