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 $3,758 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,210 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,662 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 265% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Costa Mesa, CA sits 181% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$6.16 COP 20.1K

228.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

144.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$7.34 COP 23.9K

64.85%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$1.72 COP 5,600

194.77%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$1.05 COP 3,420

219.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.77 COP 2,515

189.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$1.69 COP 5,488

323.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$3.17 COP 10.3K

157.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.05 COP 3,423

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.30 COP 4,236

212.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.40 COP 4,544

212.14%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$2.16 COP 7,047

130.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$4.39 COP 14.3K

143.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$5.88 COP 19.1K

44.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 $14.79

$8.64 COP 28.1K

71.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.28 COP 7,426

90.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.11 COP 3,604

71.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.53 COP 4,983

183.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$1.35 COP 4,410

308.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.13 COP 3,674

299.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.13 COP 3,692

157.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.85 COP 2,753

136.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.91 COP 2,975

137.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 $11.20

$2.34 COP 7,630

378.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$12.37 COP 40.3K

20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.20 COP 3,909

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.49 COP 8,104

38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,728

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 $6.45

$1.42 COP 4,623

354.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.92 COP 6,235

45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$7.66 COP 24.9K

287.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.99 COP 3,223

29.29%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

34.06%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-8.87%

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

$284 $284

$80.8 COP 263.1K

251.94%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$9.95 COP 32.4K

418.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

149.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 $40.41

$25.08 COP 81.7K

61.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$3.98 COP 13.0K

283.92%

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

$1,196 $1,196

$305 COP 993.5K

291.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

286.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.74 $34.74

$32.20 COP 104.8K

7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$101 COP 327.9K

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$108 COP 350.8K

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$477 COP 1.6M

483.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 $2,465

$376 COP 1.2M

555.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,948 $3,948

$845 COP 2.7M

367.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,867 $3,867

$730 COP 2.4M

429.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,283 $6,283

$617 COP 2.0M

918.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,781 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $477 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 919% 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 $80.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $193 – 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 265% 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 $5,637 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $1,546 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 $3,758 in Costa Mesa, CA and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,196 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $3,758. 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 $1,031 versus $3,758 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.