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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Alexandra vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,681 per month in Alexandra vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,281 per month in Alexandra vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Alexandra sits 19% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 R 146

$8.01 COP 25.9K

9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.71 R 611

$46.55 COP 150.8K

-21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 R 87.5

$9.43 COP 30.6K

-44.22%

Cappuccino

$2.23 R 37.05

$2.91 COP 9,432

-23.37%

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

$1.08 R 17.90

$1.75 COP 5,678

-38.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.59

$1.32 COP 4,289

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.71

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 45.25

$5.55 COP 18.0K

-50.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.20

$1.41 COP 4,570

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 R 18.65

$2.44 COP 7,907

-54.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.22

$1.63 COP 5,278

7.98%

Eggs

$2.49 R 41.37

$2.82 COP 9,140

-11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 R 135

$9.69 COP 31.4K

-16.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 R 79.7

$9.32 COP 30.2K

-48.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R 117

$13.46 COP 43.6K

-47.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.42

$4.00 COP 13.0K

-57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.39

$1.48 COP 4,797

11.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R 29.58

$2.12 COP 6,881

-16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.88

$2.25 COP 7,298

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.58

$1.91 COP 6,193

-41.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 20.10

$1.62 COP 5,247

-25.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.54

$1.15 COP 3,719

1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R 21.22

$1.26 COP 4,088

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 55.4

$3.82 COP 12.4K

-12.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 R 87.0

$13.11 COP 42.5K

-60.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 R 25.28

$1.60 COP 5,168

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 R 32.42

$2.26 COP 7,308

-13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 25.10

$1.17 COP 3,793

29.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 R 4.77

$1.27 COP 4,123

-77.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R 13.51

$2.05 COP 6,640

-60.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.50 R 241

$8.20 COP 26.6K

76.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 25.84

$1.27 COP 4,113

22.05%

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

$34.8K R 579.4K

$26.8K COP 86.7M

30.09%

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

$32.3K R 537.3K

$34.4K COP 111.5M

-6.11%

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

$150 R 2,489

$162 COP 525.5K

-7.76%

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

$36.74 R 611

$13.12 COP 42.5K

180.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.44 R 606

$28.09 COP 91.0K

29.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 R 557

$44.33 COP 143.6K

-24.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.98 R 166

$16.33 COP 52.9K

-38.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.36 R 122

$6.09 COP 19.7K

20.85%

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

$242 R 4,025

$764 COP 2.5M

-68.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,496 R 91.4K

$8,904 COP 28.8M

-38.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 R 871

$85.0 COP 275.3K

-38.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.36 R 522

$57.5 COP 186.2K

-45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 R 1,505

$132 COP 426.9K

-31.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 R 1,390

$95.8 COP 310.2K

-12.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 R 7,262

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-57.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 6,098

$604 COP 2.0M

-39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.6K

$1,802 COP 5.8M

-61.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 R 12.4K

$993 COP 3.2M

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$896 R 14.9K

$3,921 COP 12.7M

-77.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$642 R 10.7K

$1,639 COP 5.3M

-60.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,739 R 28.9K

$626 COP 2.0M

177.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

10.94

-0.27%

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

Last update for Alexandra: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Alexandra versus $1,028 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 178% 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 $37.00 in Alexandra versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $288 – 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 $1,622 per month in Alexandra and $2,384 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 $1,081 in Alexandra and $1,589 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Alexandra and $764 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 $1,081, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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 $1,081 versus $1,589 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.