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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,164 in Alexandria, LA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,432 in Alexandria, LA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,700 in Alexandria, LA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Alexandria, LA is roughly 114% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria, LA is 61% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$5.99 COP 21.4K

103.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 $46.87

$32.86 COP 117.2K

42.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 $4.85

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-31.59%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$1.71 COP 6,105

216.37%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$1.10 COP 3,918

160.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.78 COP 2,776

171.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$1.68 COP 5,987

258.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.07 COP 10.9K

167.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.09 COP 3,899

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.26 COP 4,500

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$1.38 COP 4,914

351.45%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.19 COP 7,813

106.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$5.63 COP 20.1K

101.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$8.89 COP 31.7K

67.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.34 COP 8,334

135.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.06 COP 3,771

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.50 COP 5,365

198.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.38 COP 4,915

268.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.15 COP 4,104

249.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.16 COP 4,148

168.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.89 COP 3,176

152.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.84 COP 2,992

173.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 $8.69

$2.28 COP 8,131

281.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.77 $16.77

$10.64 COP 37.9K

57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.20 COP 4,276

70.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.47 COP 8,809

41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.86 COP 3,051

137.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.47 COP 5,255

135.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.96 COP 6,997

-21.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.38 $34.38

$7.74 COP 27.6K

344.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.95 COP 3,403

-28.42%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

89.76%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

7.07%

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

$185 $185

$82.3 COP 293.2K

125.31%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$9.50 COP 33.9K

510.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 $59.7

$24.23 COP 86.4K

146.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 $42.69

$25.89 COP 92.3K

64.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 $11.88

$3.93 COP 14.0K

202.29%

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

$1,544 $1,544

$309 COP 1.1M

398.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

74.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.18 $49.18

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-16.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 $40.87

$32.35 COP 115.3K

26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 $75.9

$103 COP 365.7K

-26.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$108 COP 386.5K

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 $861

$476 COP 1.7M

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$379 COP 1.4M

168.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 $1,355

$838 COP 3.0M

61.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$724 COP 2.6M

206.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 $1,265

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-54.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,292 $1,292

$1,211 COP 4.3M

6.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,027 $3,027

$512 COP 1.8M

491.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.43

-51.08%

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

Last update for Alexandria, LA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $861 in Alexandria, LA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, LA pays 492% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Alexandria, LA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 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, LA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Alexandria, LA pays 492% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $861 in Alexandria, LA versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Alexandria, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,164 per month in Alexandria, LA versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,164 in Alexandria, LA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Alexandria, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alexandria, LA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Alexandria, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.