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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,004 per month in Alexandra vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Alexandra vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Alexandra vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Alexandra is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Alexandra and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Alexandra 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 R 145

$5.92 COP 21.4K

46.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.67 R 565

$32.75 COP 118.2K

2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 82.0

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-32.08%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.64

$1.70 COP 6,140

25.29%

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

$0.98 R 16.51

$1.10 COP 3,966

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.62

$0.72 COP 2,605

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R 36.98

$1.67 COP 6,022

31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 43.24

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-16.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.40

$1.06 COP 3,809

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.89

$1.25 COP 4,497

-14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.19

$1.39 COP 5,022

16.55%

Eggs

$2.39 R 40.02

$2.26 COP 8,168

5.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R 133

$4.33 COP 15.6K

82.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 78.6

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 110

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.18

$2.24 COP 8,099

-27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.83

$1.08 COP 3,882

37.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.74

$1.53 COP 5,522

-3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 28.10

$1.37 COP 4,950

22.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.94

$1.13 COP 4,078

15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.75

$1.12 COP 4,036

5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.69

$0.85 COP 3,057

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.11

$0.91 COP 3,281

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 48.30

$2.33 COP 8,414

23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 R 87.4

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 22.07

$1.19 COP 4,309

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.64

$2.37 COP 8,553

-30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 28.04

$0.79 COP 2,838

111.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.15

$1.44 COP 5,184

-20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 16.00

$1.91 COP 6,901

-50.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 R 52.9

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-60.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.79

$0.94 COP 3,385

31.91%

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

$19.3K R 324.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

7.80%

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

$23.6K R 395.5K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-11.97%

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

$117 R 1,966

$84.0 COP 303.1K

39.61%

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

$37.94 R 636

$9.60 COP 34.7K

295.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 R 636

$24.16 COP 87.2K

57.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 R 519

$25.88 COP 93.4K

19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 R 125

$3.92 COP 14.1K

90.05%

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

$196 R 3,280

$306 COP 1.1M

-36.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 R 71.9K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-27.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 R 835

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 R 548

$31.82 COP 114.9K

2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 R 1,485

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 R 1,337

$107 COP 386.8K

-25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R 6,069

$487 COP 1.8M

-25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 R 5,612

$368 COP 1.3M

-9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R 11.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

-17.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 R 11.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-5.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 R 13.9K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-71.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 R 10.8K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-54.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,731 R 29.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

217.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

13.43

-14.30%

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

Last update for Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Alexandra versus $487 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 217% 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 $34.00 in Alexandra versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Alexandra vs $190 in Medellin – so Alexandra 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

Alexandra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 3% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,506 per month in Alexandra and $1,550 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 $1,004 in Alexandra and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Alexandra and $306 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 $1,004, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $1,004 versus $1,034 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.