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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,366 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,487 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,608 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 232% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashburn, VA is 151% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$5.99 COP 21.4K

236.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$32.86 COP 117.2K

146.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.44 $13.44

$7.09 COP 25.3K

89.56%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$1.71 COP 6,105

248.54%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$1.10 COP 3,918

158.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.78 COP 2,776

228.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.60 $6.60

$1.68 COP 5,987

292.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$3.07 COP 10.9K

153.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.09 COP 3,899

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.26 COP 4,500

175.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$1.38 COP 4,914

351.45%

Eggs

$5.02 $5.02

$2.19 COP 7,813

129.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.46 $19.46

$4.40 COP 15.7K

342.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$5.63 COP 20.1K

117.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.04 $22.04

$8.89 COP 31.7K

147.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.34 COP 8,334

140.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.06 COP 3,771

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.03 $7.03

$1.50 COP 5,365

368.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$1.38 COP 4,915

383.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.15 COP 4,104

213.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.16 COP 4,148

143.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.89 COP 3,176

155.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.84 COP 2,992

195.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$2.28 COP 8,131

255.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 $18.02

$10.64 COP 37.9K

69.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.20 COP 4,276

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.47 COP 8,809

55.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.86 COP 3,051

156.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 $71.3

$41.40 COP 147.6K

72.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.47 COP 5,255

210.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.96 COP 6,997

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 $29.32

$7.74 COP 27.6K

278.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.95 COP 3,403

-6.32%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

47.96%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-5.86%

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

$211 $211

$82.3 COP 293.2K

156.56%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$9.50 COP 33.9K

564.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$24.23 COP 86.4K

176.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 $61.7

$25.89 COP 92.3K

138.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.16 $12.16

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-36.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$3.93 COP 14.0K

275.06%

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

$1,697 $1,697

$309 COP 1.1M

448.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

307.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 $48.09

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 $49.14

$32.35 COP 115.3K

51.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$103 COP 365.7K

-4.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$108 COP 386.5K

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 $1,900

$476 COP 1.7M

299.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$379 COP 1.4M

374.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,169 $4,169

$838 COP 3.0M

397.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$724 COP 2.6M

210.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,002 $3,002

$2,791 COP 9.9M

7.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,095 $3,095

$1,211 COP 4.3M

155.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,437 $7,437

$512 COP 1.8M

1353.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.43

-51.08%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,900 in Ashburn, VA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 1353% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $188 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

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

Ashburn, VA and Medellin differ by about 232% in total monthly costs ($3,366 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ashburn, VA pays 1353% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,900 in Ashburn, VA versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,697 in Ashburn, VA versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,366 in Ashburn, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ashburn, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.