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 $2,102 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,228 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,355 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 104% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

El Paso, TX sits 58% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.03 $19.03

$6.00 COP 20.6K

217.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$32.84 COP 112.5K

110.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$7.42 COP 25.4K

62.94%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$1.65 COP 5,659

285.45%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.07 COP 3,663

155.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.76 COP 2,607

153.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.72 COP 5,908

184.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.20 COP 11.0K

82.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.05 COP 3,597

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.31 COP 4,479

83.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.34 COP 4,591

96.27%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$2.19 COP 7,521

63.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$4.41 COP 15.1K

152.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

$5.69 COP 19.5K

103.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

$8.52 COP 29.2K

44.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.34 COP 8,023

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.11 COP 3,804

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.52 COP 5,210

178.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.37 COP 4,680

225.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.15 COP 3,950

198.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.18 COP 4,043

149.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.84 COP 2,885

169.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.86 COP 2,931

87.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$2.26 COP 7,753

423.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 $8.32

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-28.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.20 COP 4,109

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.48 COP 8,484

86.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.79 COP 2,721

92.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.09 $48.09

$40.83 COP 139.9K

17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.47 COP 5,023

14.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.92 COP 6,568

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.59 $26.59

$7.77 COP 26.6K

242.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.01 COP 3,464

-26.73%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

35.16%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-2.22%

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

$164 $164

$81.1 COP 277.9K

101.71%

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

$65.5 $65.5

$9.43 COP 32.3K

594.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$23.86 COP 81.8K

197.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.41 $25.41

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 $7.84

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-58.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 $11.74

$4.09 COP 14.0K

187.04%

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

$575 $575

$315 COP 1.1M

82.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,891 $6,891

$6,022 COP 20.6M

14.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.92 $39.92

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-33.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 $42.87

$31.97 COP 109.6K

34.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$101 COP 346.9K

-3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$105 COP 360.3K

69.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 $1,052

$485 COP 1.7M

116.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 $881

$365 COP 1.3M

141.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 $1,722

$827 COP 2.8M

108.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$730 COP 2.5M

120.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,782 $1,782

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-40.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,769 $1,769

$1,314 COP 4.5M

34.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,301 $3,301

$551 COP 1.9M

499.29%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,052 in El Paso, TX versus $485 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 499% 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: $333 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 104% 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 $3,153 per month in El Paso, TX and $1,542 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 $2,102 in El Paso, TX and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% 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 $1,028, than in El Paso, TX at $2,102. 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 $1,028 versus $2,102 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.