Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,703 per month in Nosara vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in Nosara vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,543 per month in Nosara vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Nosara costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nosara sits 27% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₡4,840

$6.16 COP 19.8K

76.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 ₡27.0K

$32.60 COP 104.8K

85.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₡3,183

$7.34 COP 23.6K

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,692

$1.72 COP 5,527

120.35%

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

$1.57 ₡698

$1.05 COP 3,376

49.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₡544

$0.77 COP 2,482

58.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₡1,358

$1.69 COP 5,417

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 ₡2,132

$3.17 COP 10.2K

50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡661

$1.05 COP 3,379

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 ₡1,288

$1.30 COP 4,181

122.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡984

$1.40 COP 4,485

57.86%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,339

$2.16 COP 6,956

38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ₡3,004

$4.39 COP 14.1K

53.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 ₡4,012

$5.88 COP 18.9K

52.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 ₡6,031

$8.64 COP 27.8K

56.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ₡943

$2.28 COP 7,330

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₡633

$1.11 COP 3,557

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ₡1,909

$1.53 COP 4,918

179.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₡677

$1.35 COP 4,353

12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,502

$1.13 COP 3,627

198.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,372

$1.13 COP 3,644

172.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡451

$0.85 COP 2,717

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₡1,061

$0.91 COP 2,937

161.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ₡2,068

$2.34 COP 7,531

98.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.02 ₡9,378

$12.37 COP 39.7K

69.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,092

$1.20 COP 3,859

104.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,291

$2.49 COP 8,000

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡435

$0.84 COP 2,692

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ₡30.4K

$40.57 COP 130.4K

67.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₡795

$1.42 COP 4,563

25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡802

$1.92 COP 6,155

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₡3,436

$7.66 COP 24.6K

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₡584

$0.99 COP 3,181

32.32%

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

$32.6K ₡14.5M

$18.0K COP 57.9M

80.65%

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

$32.4K ₡14.5M

$26.6K COP 85.6M

21.74%

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

$94.4 ₡42.1K

$80.8 COP 259.7K

16.82%

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

$25.89 ₡11.5K

$9.95 COP 32.0K

160.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.27 ₡21.1K

$24.18 COP 77.7K

95.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡25.6K

$25.08 COP 80.6K

128.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.5K

$19.15 COP 61.5K

22.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 ₡4,320

$3.98 COP 12.8K

143.22%

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

$446 ₡199.0K

$305 COP 980.7K

46.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₡4.8M

$6,059 COP 19.5M

78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ₡22.2K

$58.1 COP 186.8K

-14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 ₡23.2K

$32.20 COP 103.5K

61.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₡31.6K

$101 COP 323.7K

-29.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 ₡31.3K

$108 COP 346.3K

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₡344.6K

$477 COP 1.5M

62.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ₡328.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

95.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ₡671.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

78.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 ₡591.0K

$730 COP 2.3M

81.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,053 ₡3.1M

$3,215 COP 10.3M

119.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 ₡542.2K

$1,372 COP 4.4M

-11.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 ₡391.5K

$617 COP 2.0M

42.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

13.43

-24.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $772 in Nosara versus $477 in Medellin. 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 42% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $193 – 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

Nosara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 65%, 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 $2,554 per month in Nosara and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $60.0 in Nosara and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,703 in Nosara and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Nosara at $1,703. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara 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.

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