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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,204 in Sosua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,051 in Sosua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,898 in Sosua, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Sosua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sosua are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sosua 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.32 DOP 487

-28.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$51.7 DOP 3,029

-35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.23 DOP 424

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.71 DOP 158

-39.85%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.03 DOP 60.5

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.84 DOP 49.30

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.51 DOP 147

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.13 DOP 301

-37.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.39 DOP 81.4

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.80 DOP 106

-28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.17 DOP 68.3

12.82%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.81 DOP 106

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.02 DOP 411

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.21 DOP 364

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.87 DOP 461

9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.64 DOP 155

-14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.77 DOP 45.09

38.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.98 DOP 174

-48.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.89 DOP 111

-24.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.37 DOP 139

-50.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.32 DOP 136

-49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.00 DOP 58.6

-11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.75 DOP 43.86

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.61 DOP 328

-59.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.78 DOP 632

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.60 DOP 152

-56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.52 DOP 148

-5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.70 DOP 41.26

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.50 DOP 205

-59.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.18 DOP 128

-12.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.80 DOP 340

33.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.32 DOP 77.2

-23.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.5K DOP 1.6M

-33.65%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.9K DOP 1.9M

-16.84%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$77.8 DOP 4,557

7.57%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$20.16 DOP 1,181

-53.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.88 DOP 2,102

-32.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$25.96 DOP 1,521

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.60 DOP 386

-37.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$267 DOP 15.6K

17.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,318 DOP 370.1K

-5.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$59.2 DOP 3,465

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$52.1 DOP 3,050

-37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.1 DOP 5,631

3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$114 DOP 6,698

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$460 DOP 26.9K

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$474 DOP 27.7K

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,440 DOP 84.3K

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,299 DOP 76.1K

-44.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,924 DOP 112.7K

47.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,834 DOP 107.4K

-33.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sosua: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $460 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 $52.0 in Sosua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $223 – 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 18%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,806 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 $52.0 in Sosua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,017, than in Sosua at $1,204. 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.