Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alvin, TX and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,570 in Alvin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alvin, TX, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Alvin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,570
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alvin, TX and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alvin, TX and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,570 in Alvin, TX versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Alvin, TX $2,570
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,634 in Alvin, TX versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Alvin, TX $3,634
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,698 in Alvin, TX versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Alvin, TX $4,698
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Alvin, TX is roughly 57% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alvin, TX 89% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.93 $19.93
$8.09 COP 25.4K
146.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.26 $35.26
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-25.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.10 $9.10
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-4.21%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$3.01 COP 9,485
88.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.80 COP 5,660
9.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.41 COP 4,443
77.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.80 $7.80
$3.18 COP 9,990
145.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-14.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.51 COP 4,751
-33.77%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.38 COP 7,480
30.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.77 COP 5,573
83.62%
Eggs
$4.02 $4.02
$2.89 COP 9,093
39.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.98 $10.98
$10.19 COP 32.1K
7.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.99 $10.99
$9.87 COP 31.1K
11.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.97 $10.97
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-21.59%
Apples (1kg)
$4.31 $4.31
$3.97 COP 12.5K
8.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.55 COP 4,883
-32.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$2.18 COP 6,867
112.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$2.18 COP 6,870
98.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 $2.65
$1.96 COP 6,174
35.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.59 COP 5,000
47.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.15 COP 3,604
58.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.24 COP 3,911
72.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.24 $10.24
$3.96 COP 12.5K
158.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$13.68 COP 43.0K
8.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.66 COP 5,221
69.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 $3.36
$2.26 COP 7,103
48.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.17 COP 3,674
68.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.5 $51.5
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-33.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.27 COP 3,989
114.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.05 COP 6,442
-22.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.55 $34.55
$8.55 COP 26.9K
304.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.35 COP 4,237
-37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-0.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-22.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 $226
$170 COP 533.7K
33.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.32 $30.32
$13.55 COP 42.6K
123.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.09 $45.09
$28.07 COP 88.3K
60.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.63 $41.63
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-4.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.83 $13.83
$6.91 COP 21.7K
100.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,493 $1,493
$797 COP 2.5M
87.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.1K $21.1K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
131.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.5 $51.5
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-39.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.51 $43.51
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-24.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$135 COP 424.6K
-36.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$97.9 COP 307.9K
6.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,605 $1,605
$1,208 COP 3.8M
32.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,325 $1,325
$642 COP 2.0M
106.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,461 $2,461
$2,028 COP 6.4M
21.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,172 $2,172
$1,012 COP 3.2M
114.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 $2,713
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-34.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,412 $2,412
$1,910 COP 6.0M
26.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alvin, TX
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
10.94
-63.44%

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

Last update for Alvin, TX: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alvin, TX
$1.3K
Medellin
$642 51.6% $683
Groceries & Markets
Alvin, TX
$355
Medellin
$297 16.3% $58
Eating Out
Alvin, TX
$321
Medellin
$170 47.2% $152
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alvin, TX
$301
Medellin
$211 29.9% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Alvin, TX
$128
Medellin
$169 31.9% $41
Getting Around
Alvin, TX
$70
Medellin
$94 33.7% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Alvin, TX
$69
Medellin
$58 17% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,605 in Alvin, TX and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Alvin, TX vs $47 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $297, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Alvin, TX
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:42 1:42 PM
13:42 1:42 PM
Same time as Alvin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,236
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alvin, TX Medellin 3,300 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Alvin, TX
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Alvin, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Alvin, TX?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,855 in Alvin, TX and $2,459 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Alvin, TX and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,605 in Alvin, TX versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Alvin, TX and in Medellin?
All in, you’ll spend $2,570 per month in Alvin, TX versus $1,639 in Medellin – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Alvin, TX runs roughly 33% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Alvin, TX or in Medellin?
At $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,570 in Alvin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Alvin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Alvin, TX or in Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Alvin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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