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: $3,321 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,445 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 222% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashburn, VA is 149% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$6.16 COP 20.1K

218.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

142.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$7.34 COP 23.9K

78.88%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$1.72 COP 5,599

231.98%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.05 COP 3,420

165.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.77 COP 2,515

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 $6.57

$1.69 COP 5,487

288.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$3.17 COP 10.3K

154.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.05 COP 3,423

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.30 COP 4,236

180.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$1.40 COP 4,544

331.43%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$2.16 COP 7,046

133.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$4.39 COP 14.3K

331.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$5.88 COP 19.1K

116.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 $21.99

$8.64 COP 28.1K

154.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.28 COP 7,425

147.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.11 COP 3,603

60.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$1.53 COP 4,982

367.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$1.35 COP 4,410

376.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.13 COP 3,674

205.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.13 COP 3,692

145.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.85 COP 2,753

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.91 COP 2,975

171.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$2.34 COP 7,629

243.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 $17.69

$12.37 COP 40.3K

43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 3,909

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.49 COP 8,104

51.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.84 COP 2,727

165.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$40.57 COP 132.1K

79.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.42 COP 4,623

210.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.92 COP 6,235

-30.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$7.66 COP 24.9K

285.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

-18.18%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

47.60%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-5.46%

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

$207 $207

$80.8 COP 263.1K

155.70%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

523.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$24.18 COP 78.7K

180.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 $61.9

$25.08 COP 81.6K

146.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 $12.15

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-36.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$3.98 COP 13.0K

271.61%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$305 COP 993.4K

463.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

296.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.98 $46.98

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 $47.73

$32.20 COP 104.8K

48.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$108 COP 350.8K

37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$477 COP 1.6M

308.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$376 COP 1.2M

383.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,101 $4,101

$845 COP 2.7M

385.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$730 COP 2.4M

204.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 $2,952

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-8.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$1,372 COP 4.5M

131.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,682 $7,682

$617 COP 2.0M

1145.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,946 in Ashburn, VA and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 1146% 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: $79.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $193 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 222% in total monthly costs ($3,321 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1146% higher in Ashburn, VA, 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: $1,946 in Ashburn, VA versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,719 in Ashburn, VA versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,321 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 222% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.