Cost of Living Comparison Between Alges and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alges and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,043 per month in Alges vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,916 per month in Alges vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,790 per month in Alges vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Alges costs about 102% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alges sits 52% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 €11.79

$5.99 COP 21.3K

128.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 €45.29

$32.86 COP 116.9K

60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 €8.15

$7.09 COP 25.2K

33.57%

Cappuccino

$2.96 €2.55

$1.71 COP 6,093

73.10%

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

$2.21 €1.91

$1.10 COP 3,910

100.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.78 COP 2,771

193.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.68 COP 5,976

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.07 COP 10.9K

14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.09 COP 3,892

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.26 COP 4,492

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.38 COP 4,905

63.04%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.94

$2.19 COP 7,799

55.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.67

$4.40 COP 15.7K

155.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 €6.77

$5.63 COP 20.0K

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.33

$8.89 COP 31.6K

61.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.34 COP 8,319

14.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.06 COP 3,764

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.50 COP 5,355

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$1.38 COP 4,906

120.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.15 COP 4,097

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.16 COP 4,141

92.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.89 COP 3,170

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.84 COP 2,986

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 €5.25

$2.28 COP 8,116

167.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 €4.55

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-50.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.20 COP 4,268

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.47 COP 8,793

27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.86 COP 3,045

166.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.44 €39.98

$41.40 COP 147.3K

12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 €4.09

$1.47 COP 5,245

223.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.96 COP 6,984

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.03

$7.74 COP 27.5K

125.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$0.95 COP 3,397

97.89%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

94.34%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

45.95%

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

$165 €142

$82.3 COP 292.7K

100.19%

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

$23.16 €19.94

$9.50 COP 33.8K

143.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.94

$24.23 COP 86.2K

110.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.50 €40.04

$25.89 COP 92.1K

79.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.20 €7.92

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-51.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 €6.83

$3.93 COP 14.0K

101.78%

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

$744 €641

$309 COP 1.1M

140.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,221 €7,078

$5,965 COP 21.2M

37.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €75.8

$58.7 COP 208.7K

50.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 €30.03

$32.35 COP 115.1K

7.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 €78.7

$103 COP 365.1K

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 €79.1

$108 COP 385.8K

-15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,104

$476 COP 1.7M

169.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €929

$379 COP 1.3M

185.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 €1,793

$838 COP 3.0M

148.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,381

$724 COP 2.6M

121.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,301 €2,842

$2,791 COP 9.9M

18.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,389 €2,056

$1,211 COP 4.3M

97.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 €1,100

$512 COP 1.8M

149.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

13.43

-62.70%

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

Last update for Alges: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,282 in Alges versus $476 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 150% higher in Alges, 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 $53.0 in Alges versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Alges vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,043 in Alges, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 102% apart. Alges costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,065 per month in Alges and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Alges and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Alges, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Alges at $2,043. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alges it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alges has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,043 in Alges. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alges makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.