Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,022 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,693 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,365 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 134% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Costa Mesa, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Costa Mesa, CA by 193%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.29 $25.29

$8.03 COP 25.3K

214.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.4 $99.4

$48.26 COP 152.0K

105.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 $11.59

$9.77 COP 30.8K

18.63%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$2.91 COP 9,167

98.28%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$1.94 COP 6,122

74.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.52 COP 4,792

74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$3.09 COP 9,740

163.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$5.74 COP 18.1K

56.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.36 COP 4,296

6.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.39 COP 7,519

88.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.70 COP 5,356

159.41%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$2.87 COP 9,038

72.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.67 $12.67

$9.94 COP 31.3K

27.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$10.78 COP 34.0K

33.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$4.09 COP 12.9K

32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.57 COP 4,950

40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.13 COP 6,695

102.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$2.21 COP 6,972

200.90%

Potato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.05 COP 6,447

112.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.50 COP 4,737

134.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.19 COP 3,747

156.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.16 COP 3,647

92.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$3.90 COP 12.3K

199.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$14.44 COP 45.5K

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.58 COP 4,987

32.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.83 COP 8,905

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.17 COP 3,679

71.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 $70.2

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-9.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.28 COP 4,045

132.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.09 COP 6,589

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.43 $36.43

$8.62 COP 27.1K

322.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.30 COP 4,088

5.38%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

33.32%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-27.89%

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

$257 $257

$176 COP 554.5K

46.18%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$13.37 COP 42.1K

424.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$29.89 COP 94.1K

140.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.86 $39.86

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 $11.88

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-30.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$6.20 COP 19.5K

123.87%

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

$1,789 $1,789

$793 COP 2.5M

125.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

312.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-15.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.59 $45.59

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

$136 COP 429.3K

-40.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$103 COP 324.7K

23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 $2,680

$1,060 COP 3.3M

152.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 $2,471

$680 COP 2.1M

263.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,161 $4,161

$2,012 COP 6.3M

106.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,846 $3,846

$1,169 COP 3.7M

229.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,479 $9,479

$4,111 COP 12.9M

130.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,162 $7,162

$1,701 COP 5.4M

320.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,310 $6,310

$665 COP 2.1M

848.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

10.94

-42.96%

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

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,680 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $1,060 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 848% higher in Costa Mesa, CA, 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 $99.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $303 – 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

Costa Mesa, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 134% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,033 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,574 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.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Costa Mesa, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Costa Mesa, CA and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $4,022. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Costa Mesa, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,716 versus $4,022 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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