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: $3,286 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,192 in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,099 in Castro Valley, CA versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Castro Valley, CA is roughly 223% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Castro Valley, CA is 144% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.07 $22.07

$5.95 COP 20.8K

270.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.4 $77.4

$33.33 COP 116.3K

132.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$7.23 COP 25.2K

55.19%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$1.63 COP 5,687

248.47%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$1.09 COP 3,821

172.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.73 COP 2,548

308.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 $7.31

$1.74 COP 6,065

320.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 $8.85

$3.23 COP 11.3K

173.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.05 COP 3,662

25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.29 COP 4,515

250.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.32 COP 4,617

132.58%

Eggs

$4.81 $4.81

$2.27 COP 7,927

111.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$4.35 COP 15.2K

151.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$5.88 COP 20.5K

68.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 $12.87

$8.61 COP 30.0K

49.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.25 COP 7,844

107.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.07 COP 3,733

143.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.52 COP 5,322

105.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.42 COP 4,964

250.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.17 COP 4,084

153.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.17 COP 4,077

199.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.89 COP 3,096

157.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.90 COP 3,146

195.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 $11.09

$2.25 COP 7,837

392.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 $13.14

$11.04 COP 38.5K

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.14 COP 3,977

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.38 COP 8,301

12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 $3.30

$0.84 COP 2,916

292.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.41 COP 4,912

212.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.90 COP 6,634

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.29 $30.29

$7.75 COP 27.0K

290.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 COP 3,509

23.76%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

71.51%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.82%

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

$203 $203

$83.7 COP 292.1K

142.69%

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

$47.74 $47.74

$9.45 COP 33.0K

405.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

185.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.34 $43.34

$25.31 COP 88.3K

71.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 $15.69

$4.10 COP 14.3K

282.68%

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

$1,557 $1,557

$312 COP 1.1M

399.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

299.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 $34.62

$32.56 COP 113.6K

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-22.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 $81.6

$109 COP 378.8K

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,314 $2,314

$482 COP 1.7M

379.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 $2,039

$379 COP 1.3M

437.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 $2,586

$837 COP 2.9M

208.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$723 COP 2.5M

204.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,655 $2,655

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-6.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$1,223 COP 4.3M

94.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,672 $5,672

$541 COP 1.9M

948.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

13.43

-51.15%

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

Last update for Castro Valley, CA: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,314 in Castro Valley, CA and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castro Valley, CA pays 949% 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: $77.0 in Castro Valley, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $190 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 223% in total monthly costs ($3,286 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Castro Valley, CA pays 949% 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: $2,314 in Castro Valley, CA versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Castro Valley, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,286 per month in Castro Valley, CA versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 223% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $3,286 in Castro Valley, CA, a $1,500 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 223% less than in Castro Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.