Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro Valley, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Castro Valley, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,363 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,077 in Castro Valley, CA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Castro Valley, CA is roughly 100% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Castro Valley, CA 146% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.81 $21.81

$8.02 COP 25.4K

171.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$47.87 COP 152.0K

69.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$9.89 COP 31.4K

23.66%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$3.13 COP 9,937

74.12%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.91 COP 6,058

60.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.51 COP 4,794

43.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.12 COP 9,917

89.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$5.75 COP 18.3K

28.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.44 COP 4,587

6.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.49 COP 7,894

82.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$1.77 COP 5,631

239.55%

Eggs

$6.33 $6.33

$2.96 COP 9,396

113.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.07 $15.07

$10.07 COP 32.0K

49.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.12 COP 32.1K

30.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.93 $21.93

$14.30 COP 45.4K

53.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.14 COP 13.1K

29.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.61 COP 5,106

61.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.25 COP 7,129

101.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.25 COP 7,150

115.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.04 COP 6,486

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.54 COP 4,873

216.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.17 COP 3,715

111.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.31 COP 4,148

-25.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 $9.20

$3.90 COP 12.4K

135.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 $17.74

$14.01 COP 44.5K

26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.74 COP 5,534

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.87 COP 9,112

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.22 COP 3,858

167.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.31 COP 4,155

171.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.19 COP 6,944

-17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.35 $39.35

$8.71 COP 27.7K

351.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.37 COP 4,334

5.84%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

32.89%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-25.70%

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

$178 $178

$177 COP 562.9K

0.60%

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

$62.2 $62.2

$13.88 COP 44.1K

348.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$29.72 COP 94.4K

100.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.62 $41.62

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-7.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$14.84 $14.84

$6.65 COP 21.1K

123.16%

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

$2,382 $2,382

$813 COP 2.6M

193.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K $35.1K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

282.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.74 $40.74

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-54.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.54 $35.54

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-39.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 $76.6

$138 COP 438.8K

-44.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.04 $49.04

$102 COP 324.2K

-51.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 $2,294

$1,062 COP 3.4M

115.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 $2,027

$663 COP 2.1M

205.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,500 $2,500

$1,888 COP 6.0M

32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$1,027 COP 3.3M

110.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 $2,791

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-33.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,426 $2,426

$1,675 COP 5.3M

44.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,752 $5,752

$678 COP 2.2M

748.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

10.94

-44.52%

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

Last update for Castro Valley, CA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,294 in Castro Valley, CA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castro Valley, CA pays 749% 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 Castro Valley, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 vs $305 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

Castro Valley, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castro Valley, CA and Medellin differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($3,363 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 749% higher in Castro Valley, CA, 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: $2,294 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Castro Valley, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,363 per month in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,363 in Castro Valley, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Castro Valley, CA. 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.

Safety-wise, Castro Valley, CA and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Castro Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.