Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,154 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,259 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,364 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 108% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Paso, TX sits 61% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$5.92 COP 21.4K

214.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$32.75 COP 118.2K

111.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$7.20 COP 26.0K

63.75%

Cappuccino

$6.51 $6.51

$1.70 COP 6,140

282.94%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.10 COP 3,966

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.72 COP 2,605

168.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.67 COP 6,022

201.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.10 COP 11.2K

97.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.06 COP 3,809

-18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.25 COP 4,497

98.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.39 COP 5,022

86.33%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$2.26 COP 8,168

62.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$4.33 COP 15.6K

163.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$5.84 COP 21.1K

91.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 $11.94

$8.83 COP 31.9K

35.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.24 COP 8,099

78.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.08 COP 3,882

17.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.53 COP 5,522

163.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.37 COP 4,950

215.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.13 COP 4,078

203.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.12 COP 4,036

158.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.85 COP 3,057

157.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.91 COP 3,281

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 $12.23

$2.33 COP 8,414

424.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.19 COP 4,309

77.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.37 COP 8,553

99.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.79 COP 2,838

84.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.55 $47.55

$41.13 COP 148.5K

15.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.44 COP 5,184

13.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.91 COP 6,901

-28.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.32 $27.32

$8.02 COP 28.9K

240.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.94 COP 3,385

-22.34%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

31.15%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-3.09%

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

$164 $164

$84.0 COP 303.1K

95.76%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$9.60 COP 34.7K

572.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$24.16 COP 87.2K

193.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.25 $25.25

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-2.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.67 $7.67

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-59.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 $11.56

$3.92 COP 14.1K

194.90%

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

$572 $572

$306 COP 1.1M

86.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,041 $7,041

$5,919 COP 21.4M

18.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.18 $40.18

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.03 $43.03

$31.82 COP 114.9K

35.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-3.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$107 COP 386.8K

61.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$487 COP 1.8M

113.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 $880

$368 COP 1.3M

139.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 $1,700

$826 COP 3.0M

105.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$716 COP 2.6M

123.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,778 $1,778

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-39.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 $1,788

$1,407 COP 5.1M

27.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$546 COP 2.0M

505.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in El Paso, TX versus $487 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 505% higher in El Paso, TX, 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 $69.0 in El Paso, TX versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $190 – 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

El Paso, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Paso, TX costs about 108% 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 $3,231 per month in El Paso, TX and $1,550 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 $2,154 in El Paso, TX and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in El Paso, TX at $2,154. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Paso, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $2,154 in El Paso, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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