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: $836 in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Alexandria versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,924 in Alexandria versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.29 RON 42.62

$6.16 COP 20.1K

50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 RON 156

$32.60 COP 106.1K

4.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 RON 32.60

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.13%

Cappuccino

$1.88 RON 8.64

$1.72 COP 5,600

9.30%

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

$1.99 RON 9.11

$1.05 COP 3,420

89.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.54

$0.77 COP 2,515

112.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 RON 10.81

$1.69 COP 5,488

39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 RON 12.52

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.50

$1.05 COP 3,423

35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.76

$1.30 COP 4,236

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.18

$1.40 COP 4,544

-3.57%

Eggs

$1.36 RON 6.26

$2.16 COP 7,047

-37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 RON 23.92

$4.39 COP 14.3K

18.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 RON 21.32

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 RON 41.14

$8.64 COP 28.1K

3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$2.28 COP 7,426

-58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.95

$1.11 COP 3,604

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.43

$1.53 COP 4,983

-22.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.17

$1.35 COP 4,410

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 RON 2.04

$1.13 COP 3,674

-61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$1.13 COP 3,692

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 RON 2.02

$0.85 COP 2,753

-48.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.32

$0.91 COP 2,975

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.50 RON 25.22

$2.34 COP 7,630

135.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 RON 24.83

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-56.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$1.20 COP 3,909

-44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$2.49 COP 8,104

-61.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.84 COP 2,728

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.48 RON 108

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-42.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 RON 2.20

$1.42 COP 4,623

-66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 RON 2.00

$1.92 COP 6,235

-77.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 RON 22.87

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-34.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$0.99 COP 3,223

60.61%

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

$18.1K RON 82.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

0.21%

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

$24.0K RON 110.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-9.69%

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

$118 RON 540

$80.8 COP 263.1K

45.70%

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

$7.11 RON 32.59

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.89 RON 31.59

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-71.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 RON 176

$25.08 COP 81.7K

52.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.04 RON 41.44

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-52.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 RON 21.74

$3.98 COP 13.0K

19.10%

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

$431 RON 1,978

$305 COP 993.5K

41.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,025 RON 32.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

15.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 RON 319

$58.1 COP 189.2K

19.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 RON 160

$32.20 COP 104.8K

8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 RON 314

$101 COP 327.9K

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 RON 318

$108 COP 350.8K

-35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 RON 1,569

$477 COP 1.6M

-28.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,058

$376 COP 1.2M

-38.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 RON 3,659

$845 COP 2.7M

-5.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,617

$730 COP 2.4M

-21.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 RON 6,093

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-58.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 RON 3,722

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-40.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 RON 3,951

$617 COP 2.0M

39.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Alexandria and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Alexandria vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $157 vs $193, with Alexandria cheaper for home cooking.

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 wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Alexandria, 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: $342 in Alexandria versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 73% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 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 work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.