Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Ayora and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Ayora and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,438 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Ayora is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Puerto Ayora and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Ayora 31% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 $4.56

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-24.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.34 $39.34

$32.84 COP 112.9K

19.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 $7.16

$7.42 COP 25.5K

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.90 $2.90

$1.65 COP 5,675

75.76%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$1.07 COP 3,673

28.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.76 COP 2,614

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.72 COP 5,925

62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.20 COP 11.0K

27.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.05 COP 3,607

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.31 COP 4,492

29.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.34 COP 4,604

22.39%

Eggs

$3.66 $3.66

$2.19 COP 7,543

67.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.41 COP 15.2K

-16.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.69 COP 19.6K

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$8.52 COP 29.3K

18.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.34 COP 8,046

28.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.11 COP 3,815

2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.52 COP 5,225

-9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.37 COP 4,694

-24.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.15 COP 3,962

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.18 COP 4,055

55.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.84 COP 2,893

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.86 COP 2,940

17.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.26 COP 7,776

150.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.20 COP 4,121

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.48 COP 8,508

17.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.79 COP 2,729

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.07 $24.07

$40.83 COP 140.4K

-41.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.47 COP 5,038

-13.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.92 COP 6,587

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 $9.95

$7.77 COP 26.7K

28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.01 COP 3,474

-36.63%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$17.7K COP 60.7M

12.52%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$26.5K COP 90.9M

7.64%

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

$38.23 $38.23

$81.1 COP 278.8K

-52.86%

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

$13.86 $13.86

$9.43 COP 32.4K

46.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 $30.37

$23.86 COP 82.0K

27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 $29.76

$25.99 COP 89.4K

14.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 $14.53

$18.71 COP 64.3K

-22.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 $6.98

$4.09 COP 14.1K

70.66%

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

$251 $251

$315 COP 1.1M

-20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,665 $5,665

$6,022 COP 20.7M

-5.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$59.7 COP 205.2K

-6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.80 $42.80

$31.97 COP 109.9K

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 $95.7

$101 COP 347.9K

-5.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 $66.1

$105 COP 361.3K

-37.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 $340

$485 COP 1.7M

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 $319

$365 COP 1.3M

-12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 $615

$827 COP 2.8M

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 $497

$730 COP 2.5M

-31.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 $1,102

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-63.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$785 $785

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 $801

$551 COP 1.9M

45.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

13.43

-21.07%

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

Last update for Puerto Ayora: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Puerto Ayora versus $485 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 45% higher in Puerto Ayora, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Puerto Ayora versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $190 – 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

Puerto Ayora vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,382 per month in Puerto Ayora and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Ayora, 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 $39.00 in Puerto Ayora 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 $922 in Puerto Ayora and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Ayora, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Puerto Ayora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Ayora – 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 Puerto Ayora. 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.