Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham, AL and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham, AL and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,408 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,805 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,202 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Birmingham, AL costs about 138% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Birmingham, AL sits 80% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 $18.30

$5.99 COP 21.4K

205.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$32.86 COP 117.4K

79.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$7.09 COP 25.3K

43.02%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$1.71 COP 6,115

221.05%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.10 COP 3,924

94.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.78 COP 2,781

197.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.68 COP 5,997

260.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 $7.55

$3.07 COP 11.0K

145.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.09 COP 3,906

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.26 COP 4,508

187.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.38 COP 4,922

189.86%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.19 COP 7,827

94.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$4.40 COP 15.7K

156.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$5.63 COP 20.1K

103.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.89 COP 31.8K

58.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$2.34 COP 8,349

172.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.06 COP 3,777

89.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$1.50 COP 5,374

390.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.38 COP 4,924

284.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.15 COP 4,111

266.09%

Onion (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$1.16 COP 4,155

335.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.89 COP 3,182

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.84 COP 2,997

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 $7.01

$2.28 COP 8,145

207.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.64 COP 38.0K

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.20 COP 4,284

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.47 COP 8,824

45.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.86 COP 3,056

79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 $54.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

30.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.47 COP 5,264

178.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.96 COP 7,009

-17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.55 $30.55

$7.74 COP 27.6K

294.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.95 COP 3,409

-14.74%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

68.06%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-0.21%

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

$213 $213

$82.3 COP 293.7K

158.84%

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

$49.23 $49.23

$9.50 COP 33.9K

418.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 $54.5

$24.23 COP 86.5K

124.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.84 $47.84

$25.89 COP 92.4K

84.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 $20.29

$19.00 COP 67.9K

6.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$3.93 COP 14.0K

249.62%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$309 COP 1.1M

305.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

205.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$58.7 COP 209.5K

7.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-14.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 COP 366.4K

1.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 $95.6

$108 COP 387.2K

-11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$476 COP 1.7M

225.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$379 COP 1.4M

193.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 $2,571

$838 COP 3.0M

206.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 $2,307

$724 COP 2.6M

218.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,034 $3,034

$2,791 COP 10.0M

8.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,211 COP 4.3M

53.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 $3,179

$512 COP 1.8M

521.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

13.43

-51.68%

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

Last update for Birmingham, AL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,550 in Birmingham, AL 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 521% higher in Birmingham, AL, 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 $59.0 in Birmingham, AL versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 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

Birmingham, AL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,408 in Birmingham, AL, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 138% apart. Birmingham, AL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,612 per month in Birmingham, AL 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,408 in Birmingham, AL and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Birmingham, AL at $2,408. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Birmingham, AL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,408 in Birmingham, AL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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