Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandra and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandra and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,144 per month in Alexandra vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,726 per month in Alexandra vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Alexandra vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Alexandra is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Alexandra sits 17% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 R 146

$7.89 COP 24.2K

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R 631

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-11.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 R 88.2

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-41.01%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R 36.64

$2.90 COP 8,874

-21.38%

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

$1.07 R 17.22

$1.81 COP 5,541

-40.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.21

$1.55 COP 4,741

-43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R 34.44

$3.25 COP 9,962

-34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R 44.94

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-52.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.63

$1.38 COP 4,230

-11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 17.80

$2.45 COP 7,517

-55.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.49

$1.51 COP 4,617

21.19%

Eggs

$2.52 R 40.53

$2.78 COP 8,516

-9.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 R 131

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 R 80.3

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-53.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 R 119

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-49.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.27

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-52.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.65

$1.38 COP 4,219

19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.87

$2.30 COP 7,056

-22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R 27.84

$2.02 COP 6,185

-14.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.28

$2.09 COP 6,390

-39.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.43

$1.63 COP 4,996

-22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 R 19.50

$1.08 COP 3,313

12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R 20.60

$1.25 COP 3,843

2.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 R 54.6

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-15.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 R 85.5

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-60.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.23

$1.60 COP 4,904

-1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R 31.18

$3.00 COP 9,189

-35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 R 25.36

$1.18 COP 3,611

33.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 R 4.82

$1.61 COP 4,920

-81.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.40

$2.13 COP 6,533

-63.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.77 R 238

$8.52 COP 26.1K

73.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.11

$1.35 COP 4,142

11.11%

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

$36.2K R 582.4K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

27.66%

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

$32.1K R 516.4K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-10.18%

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

$158 R 2,539

$151 COP 463.8K

4.14%

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

$36.39 R 586

$13.10 COP 40.1K

177.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.16 R 615

$32.30 COP 99.0K

18.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 R 533

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-28.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 R 118

$6.43 COP 19.7K

14.31%

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

$253 R 4,073

$835 COP 2.6M

-69.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,658 R 91.1K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-36.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 R 875

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-39.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.34 R 521

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 R 1,520

$137 COP 418.5K

-30.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 R 1,363

$109 COP 335.1K

-22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R 6,549

$952 COP 2.9M

-57.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 R 6,039

$668 COP 2.0M

-43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R 12.4K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 R 12.0K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-35.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$883 R 14.2K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-76.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$644 R 10.4K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-59.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,761 R 28.4K

$625 COP 1.9M

181.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

10.43

4.60%

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

Last update for Alexandra: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Alexandra versus $952 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 182% higher in Alexandra, 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 Alexandra versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $297 – making Alexandra 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

Alexandra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 47% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,715 per month in Alexandra and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,144 in Alexandra and $1,687 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Alexandra and $835 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,144, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,144 versus $1,687 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. 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.