Cost of living by city

Medellín is the capital of Antioquia and Colombia's second-largest city, set in the Aburrá Valley at about 1,500 m. It is the only Colombian city with a metro, linked to cable cars that climb the valley slopes.

Bogotá is Colombia's capital and largest city, on a high plateau of the Eastern Andes at about 2,640 m. Most public transport runs on TransMilenio, a bus rapid transit network, and the first metro line is under construction.

Quito is Ecuador's capital, stretched along an Andean valley at about 2,850 m. Ecuador uses the US dollar, so prices here carry no exchange-rate risk for people earning in USD. The city's first metro line opened in December 2023.

Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and main port, on the Guayas River close to the Pacific. The climate is hot and humid year round, which shows up in electricity bills when air conditioning runs. Prices are in US dollars.

Lima is Peru's capital, a coastal desert city on the Pacific that holds close to a third of the country's population. Costs vary sharply by district, and getting around relies on buses, the Metropolitano rapid bus line and Metro Line 1.

Buenos Aires is Argentina's capital, on the Río de la Plata. Its peso has been among the most volatile currencies in the region, so dollar-denominated estimates here can move quickly in either direction. The Subte metro covers the central neighborhoods.

Mexico City is Mexico's capital and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the Americas, at about 2,240 m in the Valley of Mexico. It has the region's most extensive metro network, and rents swing widely between neighborhoods.

Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco and one of Mexico's largest metropolitan areas, at about 1,560 m. It is a center for electronics and software companies, and its light rail network connects the city with Zapopan and Tlaquepaque.

Santiago is Chile's capital, in a central valley between the Andes and the Coastal Range. It has the highest cost estimates for rent in this dataset after Panama City, and a large metro network.

Montevideo is Uruguay's capital and home to more than a third of the country's people, on the Río de la Plata. Uruguay's prices sit at the higher end for South America, and this dataset reflects that.

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic, on the Caribbean coast. It has a two-line metro, and the hot climate makes electricity a larger share of utility bills when air conditioning is used.

San José is Costa Rica's capital, in the Central Valley at about 1,170 m. Many newcomers live in surrounding cantons such as Escazú or Santa Ana rather than the city center, which changes rent and transport costs.

Panama City is Panama's capital, at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. The US dollar circulates as everyday currency, and the city has the highest rent estimates in this dataset. Its metro has expanded steadily since 2014.

Caracas is Venezuela's capital, in a mountain valley at about 900 m. Many everyday prices are set or paid in US dollars, and conditions change quickly, so treat these estimates as a rough reference.

La Paz is Bolivia's seat of government, at about 3,600 m, one of the highest major cities in the world. Its Mi Teleférico cable car network is part of daily public transport.

Asunción is Paraguay's capital, on the Paraguay River. Summers are long and hot, and public transport runs mainly on buses.

Managua is Nicaragua's capital, on the southern shore of Lake Managua. It has some of the lowest cost estimates in this dataset, and public transport runs on buses.

Guatemala City is Guatemala's capital and the largest city in Central America, at about 1,500 m. The city is divided into numbered zones, which most people use as their main reference when looking for housing.

San Salvador is El Salvador's capital, at about 660 m below the San Salvador volcano. El Salvador has used the US dollar as official currency since 2001, so USD earners face no exchange-rate risk.