Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,172 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,685 per month in Perez Zeledon vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Perez Zeledon and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Perez Zeledon 12% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₡3,197

$5.91 COP 18.6K

20.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.23 ₡18.0K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

22.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,438

$7.43 COP 23.4K

33.24%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₡1,690

$1.65 COP 5,207

128.48%

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

$1.52 ₡680

$1.10 COP 3,468

38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡714

$0.78 COP 2,458

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,350

$1.72 COP 5,412

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ₡2,064

$3.18 COP 10.0K

44.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₡899

$1.10 COP 3,474

82.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 ₡1,276

$1.26 COP 3,962

126.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡992

$1.38 COP 4,349

60.14%

Eggs

$2.62 ₡1,176

$2.18 COP 6,858

20.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 ₡3,681

$4.49 COP 14.1K

82.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 ₡4,105

$5.79 COP 18.2K

58.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,242

$8.97 COP 28.2K

55.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 ₡2,025

$2.32 COP 7,308

94.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₡462

$1.06 COP 3,352

-2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 ₡1,955

$1.52 COP 4,774

186.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,546

$1.36 COP 4,270

153.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 ₡1,269

$1.13 COP 3,552

150.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 ₡1,226

$1.17 COP 3,689

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₡174

$0.90 COP 2,838

-56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₡1,322

$0.90 COP 2,823

227.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 ₡2,245

$2.23 COP 7,034

124.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.42 ₡9,604

$12.12 COP 38.2K

76.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₡1,018

$1.19 COP 3,743

90.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₡687

$2.48 COP 7,815

-38.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ₡308

$0.85 COP 2,687

-18.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡841

$1.42 COP 4,459

32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡831

$1.95 COP 6,141

-5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 ₡3,479

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₡607

$0.99 COP 3,118

36.36%

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

$37.3K ₡16.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

112.19%

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

$32.6K ₡14.6M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

21.64%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

14.67%

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

$21.29 ₡9,547

$9.70 COP 30.5K

119.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

153.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.43 ₡13.6K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.89 ₡10.7K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

25.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ₡4,558

$3.95 COP 12.4K

157.47%

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

$496 ₡222.3K

$316 COP 994.2K

57.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

111.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 ₡27.5K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ₡22.7K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

59.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.2K

$102 COP 320.1K

25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

1.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ₡151.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₡117.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-30.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 ₡680.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

78.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ₡289.2K

$719 COP 2.3M

-10.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.99%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Perez Zeledon versus $475 in Medellin. 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 $40.00 in Perez Zeledon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

Perez Zeledon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Perez Zeledon 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 $1,758 per month in Perez Zeledon and $1,504 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 $40.00 in Perez Zeledon and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Perez Zeledon, 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 Perez Zeledon at $1,172. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perez Zeledon 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, Perez Zeledon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.