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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Alexandria versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Alexandria versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 33% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 JMD 1,206

$6.16 COP 20.1K

24.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 JMD 10.0K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

94.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,392

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.16%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 679

$1.72 COP 5,599

150.58%

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

$1.30 JMD 206

$1.05 COP 3,420

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 111

$0.77 COP 2,515

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$1.69 COP 5,487

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 497

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 663

$1.05 COP 3,423

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 573

$1.30 COP 4,236

179.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.40 COP 4,544

15.71%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 563

$2.16 COP 7,046

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,756

$4.39 COP 14.3K

153.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 995

$5.88 COP 19.1K

7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,182

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-13.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 972

$2.28 COP 7,425

170.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 488

$1.11 COP 3,603

178.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 JMD 674

$1.53 COP 4,982

179.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 465

$1.35 COP 4,410

118.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 332

$1.13 COP 3,674

85.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 305

$1.13 COP 3,692

70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 474

$0.85 COP 2,753

252.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 229

$0.91 COP 2,975

59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 JMD 1,396

$2.34 COP 7,629

278.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 JMD 1,799

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 443

$1.20 COP 3,909

134.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 505

$2.49 COP 8,104

28.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.42 COP 4,623

-23.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 JMD 507

$1.92 COP 6,235

67.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 JMD 963

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-20.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

142.56%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

26.84%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

100.25%

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

$21.86 JMD 3,449

$9.95 COP 32.4K

119.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,960

$24.18 COP 78.7K

108.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,084

$3.98 COP 13.0K

231.91%

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

$227 JMD 35.9K

$305 COP 993.4K

-25.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 JMD 384.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-59.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.71 JMD 4,057

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-55.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.05 JMD 4,111

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-19.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-28.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Alexandria: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Alexandria vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Alexandria and Medellin differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($894 vs $1,031 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,342 in Alexandria and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $227 in Alexandria versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $894 in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.