Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Alexandria vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $716 per month in Alexandria vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $989 per month in Alexandria vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Alexandria is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alexandria and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Alexandria 67% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 E£186

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-40.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.94 E£814

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-51.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 E£243

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-35.15%

Cappuccino

$1.49 E£75.9

$1.72 COP 5,599

-13.37%

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

$0.29 E£14.55

$1.05 COP 3,420

-72.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 E£5.97

$0.77 COP 2,515

-84.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 E£59.6

$1.69 COP 5,487

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 E£148

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 E£40.99

$1.05 COP 3,423

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 E£38.24

$1.30 COP 4,236

-42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 E£35.75

$1.40 COP 4,544

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.45 E£74.2

$2.16 COP 7,046

-32.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 E£199

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 E£225

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-25.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 E£497

$8.64 COP 28.1K

12.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 E£75.9

$2.28 COP 7,425

-34.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 E£27.18

$1.11 COP 3,603

-52.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 E£20.08

$1.53 COP 4,982

-74.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.36 E£18.47

$1.35 COP 4,410

-73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 E£18.94

$1.13 COP 3,674

-67.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 E£21.99

$1.13 COP 3,692

-61.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 E£12.29

$0.85 COP 2,753

-71.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 E£10.09

$0.91 COP 2,975

-78.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 E£102

$2.34 COP 7,629

-14.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 E£309

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 E£68.9

$1.20 COP 3,909

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 E£135

$2.49 COP 8,104

6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 E£8.94

$0.84 COP 2,727

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.58 E£693

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-66.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 E£28.23

$1.42 COP 4,623

-61.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 E£23.42

$1.92 COP 6,235

-76.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 E£99.5

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-74.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 E£15.55

$0.99 COP 3,223

-69.70%

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

$35.1K E£1.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

94.47%

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

$33.0K E£1.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

23.91%

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

$11.24 E£574

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-86.09%

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

$5.81 E£296

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-41.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.89 E£505

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-59.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.00 E£664

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-48.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.85 E£350

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-64.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 E£149

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-26.38%

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

$89.5 E£4,569

$305 COP 993.4K

-70.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,885 E£96.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-68.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.10 E£1,383

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-53.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.05 E£2,504

$32.20 COP 104.8K

52.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 E£5,582

$101 COP 327.9K

8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 E£2,617

$108 COP 350.8K

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 E£5,511

$477 COP 1.6M

-77.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.1 E£3,426

$376 COP 1.2M

-82.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 E£12.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

-70.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 E£6,820

$730 COP 2.4M

-81.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$717 E£36.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-77.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$460 E£23.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-66.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 E£7,012

$617 COP 2.0M

-77.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

26.58%

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

Last update for Alexandria: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $108 in Alexandria versus $477 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 349% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Alexandria versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $131 vs $193 – making Alexandria 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

Alexandria vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 133% more than Alexandria, 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 $664 per month in Alexandria and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $89.5 per month in Alexandria and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 Alexandria, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Alexandria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandria costs $442 versus $1,031 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 Alexandria. 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.