Cost of Living Comparison Between Altos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Altos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $251 in Altos versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $376 in Altos versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $501 in Altos versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Altos costs roughly 85% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Altos is 82% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 ₲2,824

$1.44 COP 4,509

-66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₲5,276

$2.49 COP 7,759

-64.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₲6,040

$1.77 COP 5,535

-42.37%

Eggs

$1.97 ₲11.6K

$2.96 COP 9,235

-33.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 ₲36.4K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-38.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₲20.1K

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-66.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.55 ₲32.8K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-61.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ₲14.1K

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ₲7,772

$1.61 COP 5,019

-18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₲8,160

$2.25 COP 7,007

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₲10.8K

$2.25 COP 7,028

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ₲6,840

$2.04 COP 6,375

-43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₲8,214

$1.54 COP 4,790

-9.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₲7,175

$1.17 COP 3,651

4.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₲5,137

$1.31 COP 4,077

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.90 ₲5,309

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-76.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ₲47.9K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₲4,034

$1.74 COP 5,439

-60.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₲4,877

$2.87 COP 8,956

-71.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 ₲2,467

$1.22 COP 3,792

-65.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.82 ₲69.8K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-85.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ₲9,962

$1.31 COP 4,084

29.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₲4,026

$2.19 COP 6,825

-68.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₲6,885

$1.37 COP 4,260

-14.60%

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

$19.1K ₲113.1M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-31.21%

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

$23.9K ₲141.1M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-33.21%

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

$35.67 ₲210.6K

$177 COP 553.2K

-79.88%

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

$7.99 ₲47.2K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-42.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ₲81.4K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-53.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.52 ₲20.8K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-47.07%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.13 ₲148.4K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-71.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,503 ₲8.9M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-64.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 ₲5.9M

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-40.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 ₲2.9M

$678 COP 2.1M

-26.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Altos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Altos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 569% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 581% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $251 in Altos versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 569% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.