Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,558 per month in Arlington, VA vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,438 per month in Arlington, VA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,318 per month in Arlington, VA vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Arlington, VA costs about 251% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arlington, VA sits 166% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 $24.71

$5.99 COP 21.4K

312.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 $89.8

$32.86 COP 117.4K

173.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$7.09 COP 25.3K

66.43%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$1.71 COP 6,115

233.92%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$1.10 COP 3,924

169.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.78 COP 2,781

237.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$1.68 COP 5,997

365.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$3.07 COP 11.0K

185.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 COP 3,906

10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

236.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.05 $7.05

$1.38 COP 4,922

410.87%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.19 COP 7,827

103.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$4.40 COP 15.7K

296.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$5.63 COP 20.1K

166.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.16 $21.16

$8.89 COP 31.8K

138.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$2.34 COP 8,349

156.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.06 COP 3,777

98.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$1.50 COP 5,374

247.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.38 COP 4,924

331.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.15 COP 4,111

210.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.16 COP 4,155

187.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.89 COP 3,182

203.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.84 COP 2,997

190.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.73 $12.73

$2.28 COP 8,145

458.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 $16.89

$10.64 COP 38.0K

58.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.20 COP 4,284

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.47 COP 8,824

68.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.58 $3.58

$0.86 COP 3,056

316.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 $123

$41.40 COP 147.9K

195.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.47 COP 5,264

108.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.96 COP 7,009

-21.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.73 $21.73

$7.74 COP 27.6K

180.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.95 COP 3,409

-7.37%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

67.23%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-4.52%

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

$210 $210

$82.3 COP 293.7K

155.48%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$9.50 COP 33.9K

532.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$24.23 COP 86.5K

198.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 $77.2

$25.89 COP 92.4K

198.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.93 $23.93

$19.00 COP 67.9K

25.95%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$3.93 COP 14.0K

286.26%

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

$2,044 $2,044

$309 COP 1.1M

560.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

580.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$32.35 COP 115.5K

55.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 $94.8

$103 COP 366.4K

-7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$108 COP 387.2K

30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$476 COP 1.7M

409.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 $1,884

$379 COP 1.4M

397.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,268 $4,268

$838 COP 3.0M

409.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,611 $3,611

$724 COP 2.6M

398.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,732 $5,732

$2,791 COP 10.0M

105.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,600 $4,600

$1,211 COP 4.3M

279.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,663 $6,663

$512 COP 1.8M

1201.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,426 in Arlington, VA versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1202% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Arlington, VA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $494 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arlington, VA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 251% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,337 per month in Arlington, VA and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 162% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Arlington, VA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Arlington, VA at $3,558. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlington, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $3,558 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.