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: $2,866 in Downey, CA versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,506 in Downey, CA versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,145 in Downey, CA versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Downey, CA is roughly 178% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Downey, CA is 115% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$6.16 COP 20.0K

221.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$32.60 COP 106.0K

155.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.41 $14.41

$7.34 COP 23.9K

96.32%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$1.72 COP 5,592

199.42%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$1.05 COP 3,416

159.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.77 COP 2,511

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$1.69 COP 5,480

317.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$3.17 COP 10.3K

150.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.05 COP 3,418

7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.30 COP 4,230

216.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$1.40 COP 4,538

231.43%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.16 COP 7,037

124.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$4.39 COP 14.3K

144.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$5.88 COP 19.1K

121.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$8.64 COP 28.1K

68.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.28 COP 7,415

61.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.11 COP 3,599

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.53 COP 4,976

167.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$1.35 COP 4,405

320.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.13 COP 3,669

178.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.13 COP 3,687

183.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.85 COP 2,749

81.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.91 COP 2,971

138.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 $11.13

$2.34 COP 7,619

375.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$12.37 COP 40.2K

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.20 COP 3,904

60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.49 COP 8,094

42.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.84 COP 2,724

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 $6.45

$1.42 COP 4,617

354.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.92 COP 6,227

-10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.34 $29.34

$7.66 COP 24.9K

283.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.99 COP 3,219

29.29%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

34.09%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-9.36%

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

$160 $160

$80.8 COP 262.7K

97.46%

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

$47.33 $47.33

$9.95 COP 32.3K

375.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$24.18 COP 78.6K

151.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 $34.34

$25.08 COP 81.5K

36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 $14.11

$3.98 COP 13.0K

254.52%

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

$1,185 $1,185

$305 COP 992.2K

288.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

289.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.15 $34.15

$32.20 COP 104.7K

6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 $83.6

$101 COP 327.5K

-17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$108 COP 350.3K

-5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 $1,764

$477 COP 1.5M

270.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 $1,710

$376 COP 1.2M

354.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,662 $3,662

$845 COP 2.7M

333.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 $3,365

$730 COP 2.4M

360.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,746 $5,746

$3,215 COP 10.5M

78.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,622 $5,622

$1,372 COP 4.5M

309.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,150 $4,150

$617 COP 2.0M

572.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

13.43

-50.56%

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

Last update for Downey, CA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,764 in Downey, CA and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Downey, CA pays 573% 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: $83.0 in Downey, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $193 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 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 573% 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: $1,764 in Downey, CA versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 107% higher in Downey, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,866 per month in Downey, CA versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,866 in Downey, CA, a $1,500 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 178% less than in Downey, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.