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: $884 in Alexandria versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Alexandria versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,015 in Alexandria versus $2,192 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 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 JMD 1,147

$5.99 COP 21.4K

22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,669

$32.86 COP 117.4K

87.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,376

$7.09 COP 25.3K

23.84%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JMD 689

$1.71 COP 6,115

157.31%

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

$1.36 JMD 213

$1.10 COP 3,924

23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 112

$0.78 COP 2,781

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 380

$1.68 COP 5,997

44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 478

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.24 JMD 665

$1.09 COP 3,906

288.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 JMD 568

$1.26 COP 4,508

187.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 243

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 543

$2.19 COP 7,827

57.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 JMD 1,706

$4.40 COP 15.7K

147.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 988

$5.63 COP 20.1K

11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,174

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 948

$2.34 COP 8,349

158.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 JMD 473

$1.06 COP 3,777

184.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 JMD 650

$1.50 COP 5,374

176.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 480

$1.38 COP 4,924

121.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 329

$1.15 COP 4,111

82.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$1.16 COP 4,155

66.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 488

$0.89 COP 3,182

249.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.84 COP 2,997

77.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 JMD 1,361

$2.28 COP 8,145

281.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 JMD 1,809

$10.64 COP 38.0K

8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 447

$1.20 COP 4,284

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 478

$2.47 COP 8,824

23.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 175

$1.47 COP 5,264

-23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 501

$1.96 COP 7,009

63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.11 JMD 957

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 192

$0.95 COP 3,409

29.47%

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

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

138.76%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

24.63%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

96.00%

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

$22.32 JMD 3,497

$9.50 COP 33.9K

134.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 JMD 8,016

$24.23 COP 86.5K

111.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$13.40 JMD 2,100

$3.93 COP 14.0K

240.97%

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

$229 JMD 35.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 JMD 389.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-58.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.84 JMD 4,049

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-55.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 JMD 4,014

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 JMD 11.2K

$103 COP 366.4K

-30.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 11.9K

$108 COP 387.2K

-29.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Alexandria vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $188 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 ($884 vs $1,013 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,326 in Alexandria and $1,519 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 $229 in Alexandria versus $309 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 $62.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $884 in Alexandria versus $1,013 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.