Cost of Living Comparison Between Alpharetta, GA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alpharetta, GA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,242 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,516 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,791 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Alpharetta, GA is roughly 220% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alpharetta, GA is 142% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.29 $22.29

$5.99 COP 21.4K

272.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$32.86 COP 117.4K

79.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.09 COP 25.3K

30.32%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$1.71 COP 6,115

209.36%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$1.10 COP 3,924

128.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.78 COP 2,781

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$1.68 COP 5,997

277.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.07 COP 11.0K

166.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 COP 3,906

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.26 COP 4,508

217.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.38 COP 4,922

231.16%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.19 COP 7,827

103.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 $13.25

$4.40 COP 15.7K

201.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$5.63 COP 20.1K

72.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.84 $19.84

$8.89 COP 31.8K

123.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.34 COP 8,349

107.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.06 COP 3,777

63.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.50 COP 5,374

205.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.38 COP 4,924

192.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.15 COP 4,111

216.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.16 COP 4,155

200.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.89 COP 3,182

160.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.84 COP 2,997

207.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.37 $12.37

$2.28 COP 8,145

442.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.64 COP 38.0K

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 4,284

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.47 COP 8,824

-35.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.86 COP 3,056

212.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 $96.8

$41.40 COP 147.9K

133.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.47 COP 5,264

106.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.96 COP 7,009

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.75 $40.75

$7.74 COP 27.6K

426.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.95 COP 3,409

-14.74%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

80.06%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

0.53%

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

$283 $283

$82.3 COP 293.7K

243.73%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$9.50 COP 33.9K

470.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

178.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 $40.69

$25.89 COP 92.4K

57.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.06 $15.06

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-20.74%

Cinema Ticket

$16.19 $16.19

$3.93 COP 14.0K

311.96%

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

$1,330 $1,330

$309 COP 1.1M

329.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K $30.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

407.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$58.7 COP 209.5K

16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.53 $39.53

$32.35 COP 115.5K

22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$103 COP 366.4K

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$108 COP 387.2K

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$476 COP 1.7M

283.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$379 COP 1.4M

363.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,343 $3,343

$838 COP 3.0M

298.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$724 COP 2.6M

256.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,562 $7,562

$2,791 COP 10.0M

170.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,251 $5,251

$1,211 COP 4.3M

333.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,394 $6,394

$512 COP 1.8M

1149.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

13.43

-51.15%

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

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Alpharetta, GA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 1149% 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: $59.0 in Alpharetta, GA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 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

Alpharetta, GA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 220% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Alpharetta, GA pays 1149% 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: $1,826 in Alpharetta, GA versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 134% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,330 in Alpharetta, GA versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,242 in Alpharetta, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Alpharetta, GA. 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 Alpharetta, GA, 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 220% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.