Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Downey, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Downey, CA versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,019 in Downey, CA versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,854 in Downey, CA versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Downey, CA is roughly 86% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Downey, CA 132% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.63 $24.63

$8.03 COP 25.3K

206.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.8 $99.8

$48.26 COP 152.3K

106.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.53 $14.53

$9.77 COP 30.8K

48.72%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$2.91 COP 9,185

105.50%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$1.94 COP 6,134

98.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.52 COP 4,801

80.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$3.09 COP 9,759

157.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.89 $9.89

$5.74 COP 18.1K

72.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.36 COP 4,304

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.39 COP 7,534

90.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$1.70 COP 5,366

291.76%

Eggs

$5.26 $5.26

$2.87 COP 9,056

83.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$9.94 COP 31.4K

19.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.78 COP 34.0K

36.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 $19.53

$14.73 COP 46.5K

32.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.09 COP 12.9K

31.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.57 COP 4,960

51.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.13 COP 6,708

138.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.21 COP 6,985

163.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.05 COP 6,460

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.50 COP 4,747

113.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.19 COP 3,755

68.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.16 COP 3,654

119.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$3.90 COP 12.3K

204.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.44 COP 45.6K

5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.58 COP 4,997

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.83 COP 8,923

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.28 COP 4,054

128.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.09 COP 6,602

-10.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.59 $31.59

$8.62 COP 27.2K

266.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.30 COP 4,096

6.92%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

35.16%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-28.50%

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

$250 $250

$176 COP 555.6K

41.98%

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

$76.1 $76.1

$13.37 COP 42.2K

468.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$29.89 COP 94.3K

166.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 $35.51

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-20.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 $13.85

$6.20 COP 19.6K

123.39%

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

$1,441 $1,441

$793 COP 2.5M

81.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

259.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 $87.6

$85.6 COP 270.1K

2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.32 $45.32

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 $79.4

$136 COP 430.1K

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$103 COP 325.4K

58.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$1,060 COP 3.3M

84.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 $1,731

$680 COP 2.1M

154.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,660 $3,660

$2,012 COP 6.3M

81.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,337 $3,337

$1,169 COP 3.7M

185.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,811 $5,811

$4,111 COP 13.0M

41.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,635 $5,635

$1,701 COP 5.4M

231.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,218 $4,218

$665 COP 2.1M

534.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

10.94

-41.32%

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

Last update for Downey, CA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,950 in Downey, CA and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Downey, CA pays 534% 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: $100 in Downey, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $303 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

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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 534% higher in Downey, 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: $1,950 in Downey, CA versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Downey, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,185 per month in Downey, CA versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,185 in Downey, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Downey, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Downey, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Downey, 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 86% less than in Downey, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.