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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in Sosua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,075 in Sosua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,953 in Sosua, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Sosua, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Sosua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sosua 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.35 DOP 485

-29.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$50.9 DOP 2,959

-35.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.10 DOP 413

4.65%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.72 DOP 158

-39.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.02 DOP 59.3

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.77 DOP 44.83

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.48 DOP 144

-30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.97 DOP 289

-36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.38 DOP 80.4

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.79 DOP 104

-29.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.12 DOP 64.9

23.21%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.82 DOP 106

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.23 DOP 420

-37.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.39 DOP 371

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.81 DOP 454

14.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.55 DOP 148

-9.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.82 DOP 47.79

29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.93 DOP 170

-48.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.96 DOP 114

-30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.35 DOP 136

-51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.27 DOP 132

-48.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.04 DOP 60.2

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.78 DOP 45.21

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.91 DOP 344

-62.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.91 DOP 634

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.57 DOP 150

-53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.53 DOP 147

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.66 DOP 38.20

28.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.48 DOP 202

-59.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.20 DOP 128

-11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.82 DOP 338

35.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.27 DOP 73.7

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

-33.09%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.0K DOP 1.9M

-16.28%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$77.4 DOP 4,496

7.29%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.00 DOP 1,162

-51.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$36.71 DOP 2,133

-35.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$25.00 DOP 1,453

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.62 DOP 385

-40.33%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$266 DOP 15.5K

18.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,285 DOP 365.2K

-4.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$60.0 DOP 3,484

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$51.3 DOP 2,979

-37.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$97.7 DOP 5,679

4.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$114 DOP 6,600

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$468 DOP 27.2K

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$465 DOP 27.0K

-19.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,425 DOP 82.8K

-40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,300 DOP 75.6K

-44.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,946 DOP 113.1K

67.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,802 DOP 104.7K

-20.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sosua: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $468 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 $51.0 in Sosua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,797 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 $51.0 in Sosua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,003, than in Sosua at $1,198. 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.