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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Sosua vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,265 per month in Sosua vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,099 per month in Sosua vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Sosua is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sosua and Medellin sit above the global median – Sosua by 5%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 DOP 593

$8.02 COP 25.0K

25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 DOP 3,024

$47.87 COP 149.4K

7.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 DOP 461

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-20.73%

Cappuccino

$2.45 DOP 144

$3.13 COP 9,767

-21.73%

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

$1.12 DOP 66.0

$1.91 COP 5,954

-41.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.42

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 DOP 154

$3.12 COP 9,747

-16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 212

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 80.7

$1.44 COP 4,509

-4.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 DOP 93.1

$2.49 COP 7,759

-36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 DOP 40.67

$1.77 COP 5,535

-61.02%

Eggs

$2.04 DOP 120

$2.96 COP 9,235

-31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 DOP 436

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-26.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 DOP 336

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-43.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 DOP 398

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-52.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 DOP 184

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 50.2

$1.61 COP 5,019

-47.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 DOP 162

$2.25 COP 7,007

22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 DOP 75.8

$2.25 COP 7,028

-42.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 DOP 106

$2.04 COP 6,375

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 DOP 134

$1.54 COP 4,790

48.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 DOP 41.00

$1.17 COP 3,651

-40.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 DOP 23.95

$1.31 COP 4,077

-68.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 DOP 318

$3.90 COP 12.2K

38.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 DOP 610

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 DOP 151

$1.74 COP 5,439

47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DOP 141

$2.87 COP 8,956

-16.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 DOP 199

$1.31 COP 4,084

158.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 DOP 131

$2.19 COP 6,825

1.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 DOP 355

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-30.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 DOP 78.4

$1.37 COP 4,260

-2.92%

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

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-13.33%

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

$34.6K DOP 2.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-3.41%

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

$66.5 DOP 3,907

$177 COP 553.2K

-62.49%

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

$29.29 DOP 1,721

$13.88 COP 43.3K

111.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.18 DOP 2,008

$29.72 COP 92.8K

15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 DOP 457

$6.65 COP 20.7K

16.84%

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

$260 DOP 15.3K

$813 COP 2.5M

-68.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,548 DOP 443.5K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-17.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 DOP 2,707

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.41 DOP 2,786

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-19.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 DOP 5,263

$138 COP 431.2K

-35.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 DOP 7,580

$102 COP 318.7K

26.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 DOP 52.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 DOP 47.1K

$663 COP 2.1M

20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 DOP 103.7K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 DOP 91.3K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

51.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 DOP 109.4K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-55.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,785 DOP 104.9K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

6.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

10.94

23.95%

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

Last update for Sosua: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $892 in Sosua versus $1,062 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 $51.0 in Sosua versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Sosua vs $305 in Medellin – so Sosua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sosua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin 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 $2,146 per month in Sosua and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sosua, 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 $51.0 in Sosua and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sosua, where all-in costs run around $1,431, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sosua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sosua – 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 Sosua. 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.