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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Sosua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,265 in Sosua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,099 in Sosua, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Sosua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sosua sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Sosua by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.09 DOP 593

-20.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$51.5 DOP 3,024

-6.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.84 DOP 461

26.15%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.45 DOP 144

27.76%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.12 DOP 66.0

70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.69 DOP 40.42

118.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.61 DOP 154

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.60 DOP 212

59.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.37 DOP 80.7

5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.58 DOP 93.1

57.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.69 DOP 40.67

156.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.04 DOP 120

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.41 DOP 436

35.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.72 DOP 336

76.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.77 DOP 398

111.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.14 DOP 184

31.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.85 DOP 50.2

89.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.76 DOP 162

-18.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.29 DOP 75.8

74.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.80 DOP 106

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.28 DOP 134

-32.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.70 DOP 41.00

67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.41 DOP 23.95

219.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.42 DOP 318

-28.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.38 DOP 610

34.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.57 DOP 151

-32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.40 DOP 141

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.38 DOP 199

-61.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.22 DOP 131

-1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.05 DOP 355

43.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.33 DOP 78.4

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

15.38%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.6K DOP 2.0M

3.53%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$66.5 DOP 3,907

166.62%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$29.29 DOP 1,721

-52.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$34.18 DOP 2,008

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.77 DOP 457

-14.41%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$260 DOP 15.3K

212.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,548 DOP 443.5K

21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$46.07 DOP 2,707

94.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$47.41 DOP 2,786

24.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$89.6 DOP 5,263

54.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$129 DOP 7,580

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$892 DOP 52.4K

19.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$801 DOP 47.1K

-17.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,765 DOP 103.7K

7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,554 DOP 91.3K

-33.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,862 DOP 109.4K

124.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,785 DOP 104.9K

-6.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.56

-19.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sosua: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $892 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Sosua. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $206 in Sosua – so Sosua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, 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 $2,146 in Sosua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sosua, 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 $51.0 in Sosua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sosua, where all-in costs run around $1,431, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sosua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sosua – 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 Sosua. 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.