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: $239 in Altos versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $358 in Altos versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $477 in Altos versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Altos costs roughly 77% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Altos 82% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 ₲3,080

$1.06 COP 3,837

-53.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₲3,953

$1.25 COP 4,531

-49.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₲6,395

$1.39 COP 5,060

-26.62%

Eggs

$1.90 ₲11.9K

$2.26 COP 8,229

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 ₲37.6K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

37.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ₲21.7K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ₲35.3K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₲15.2K

$2.24 COP 8,159

8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ₲8,294

$1.08 COP 3,911

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₲8,704

$1.53 COP 5,563

-9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₲11.0K

$1.37 COP 4,987

27.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₲7,730

$1.13 COP 4,109

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 ₲10.2K

$1.12 COP 4,067

44.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₲7,456

$0.85 COP 3,080

38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,217

$0.91 COP 3,305

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₲50.9K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,518

$1.19 COP 4,342

-39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₲5,176

$2.37 COP 8,617

-65.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₲2,613

$0.79 COP 2,859

-48.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.07 ₲76.0K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-70.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₲5,323

$1.44 COP 5,223

-40.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₲4,585

$1.91 COP 6,952

-61.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₲7,390

$0.94 COP 3,410

24.47%

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

$19.0K ₲119.8M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

6.14%

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

$23.1K ₲145.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-13.89%

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

$34.51 ₲217.4K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-58.90%

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

$7.90 ₲49.7K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-17.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.95 ₲87.8K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-42.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 ₲22.4K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-9.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.16 ₲158.5K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-56.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 ₲9.6M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 ₲6.3M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-28.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ₲3.1M

$546 COP 2.0M

-9.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Altos: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 10% 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 333% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 10% less. 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 28% 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 241% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $239 in Altos versus $1,034 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 333% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.