Cost of Living Comparison Between Alvin, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alvin, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,463 in Alvin, TX versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Alvin, TX versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,695 in Alvin, TX versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Alvin, TX is roughly 142% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alvin, TX is 84% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 $20.06

$5.93 COP 19.0K

238.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 $35.64

$33.12 COP 106.0K

7.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 $8.98

$7.12 COP 22.8K

26.12%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$1.71 COP 5,457

235.09%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.05 COP 3,356

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.72 COP 2,311

195.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$1.72 COP 5,502

249.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.17 COP 10.2K

61.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.06 COP 3,408

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.31 COP 4,192

138.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.33 COP 4,256

158.65%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$2.28 COP 7,298

70.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$4.42 COP 14.1K

151.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$5.92 COP 18.9K

78.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$8.64 COP 27.7K

27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.34 COP 7,504

107.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.10 COP 3,527

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.47 COP 4,698

195.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.38 COP 4,415

189.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.17 COP 3,754

134.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.17 COP 3,744

145.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.90 COP 2,890

125.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.84 COP 2,693

170.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.11 $9.11

$2.33 COP 7,449

290.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$11.92 COP 38.1K

25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.15 COP 3,673

102.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.42 COP 7,749

42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.84 COP 2,687

140.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.41 COP 4,517

203.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.91 COP 6,127

-4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.15 $35.15

$7.83 COP 25.0K

348.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.94 COP 3,020

-21.28%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

42.80%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-3.64%

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

$174 $174

$83.3 COP 266.4K

109.00%

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

$30.09 $30.09

$9.66 COP 30.9K

211.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.29 $44.29

$24.22 COP 77.5K

82.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.24 $43.24

$25.22 COP 80.7K

71.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$4.07 COP 13.0K

266.34%

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

$1,413 $1,413

$307 COP 981.2K

360.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

274.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.12 $46.12

$32.65 COP 104.5K

41.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$101 COP 323.5K

-13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$108 COP 345.7K

10.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$476 COP 1.5M

240.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 $1,353

$379 COP 1.2M

257.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 $2,607

$816 COP 2.6M

219.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 $2,243

$707 COP 2.3M

217.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Alvin, TX: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,619 in Alvin, TX and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Alvin, TX vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $192 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

Alvin, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,695 in Alvin, TX and $1,527 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,619 in Alvin, TX versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Alvin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,463 per month in Alvin, TX versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,463 in Alvin, TX, a $1,500 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.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alvin, TX, 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 142% less than in Alvin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.