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 $2,105 per month in El Paso, TX vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,148 per month in El Paso, TX vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

El Paso, TX costs about 25% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both El Paso, TX and Medellin sit above the global median – El Paso, TX by 54%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 $18.75

$8.02 COP 25.0K

133.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 $77.7

$47.87 COP 149.4K

62.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$9.89 COP 30.8K

22.65%

Cappuccino

$6.10 $6.10

$3.13 COP 9,767

94.89%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$1.91 COP 5,954

21.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.51 COP 4,712

5.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.12 COP 9,747

87.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.75 COP 17.9K

18.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.44 COP 4,509

-42.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.49 COP 7,759

20.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.77 COP 5,535

35.59%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.96 COP 9,235

22.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$10.07 COP 31.4K

16.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$10.12 COP 31.6K

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.61 COP 5,019

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.25 COP 7,007

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.25 COP 7,028

60.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.04 COP 6,375

5.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.54 COP 4,790

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.17 COP 3,651

52.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.31 COP 4,077

20.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$3.90 COP 12.2K

140.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 $9.61

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.74 COP 5,439

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.87 COP 8,956

63.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.22 COP 3,792

25.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 $48.10

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-40.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.31 COP 4,084

22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.19 COP 6,825

-34.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.62 $26.62

$8.71 COP 27.2K

205.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.37 COP 4,260

-37.23%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

27.59%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-30.24%

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

$160 $160

$177 COP 553.2K

-9.90%

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

$70.5 $70.5

$13.88 COP 43.3K

408.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$29.72 COP 92.8K

131.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.14 $18.14

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-59.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.27 $8.27

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-51.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$6.65 COP 20.7K

76.99%

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

$578 $578

$813 COP 2.5M

-28.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,034 $7,034

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-23.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.69 $46.69

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-47.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.28 $36.28

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-38.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$138 COP 431.2K

-23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 $177

$102 COP 318.7K

73.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 $1,126

$1,062 COP 3.3M

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$663 COP 2.1M

35.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 $1,679

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$1,027 COP 3.2M

46.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,771 $1,771

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-57.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,814 $1,814

$1,675 COP 5.2M

8.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,279 $3,279

$678 COP 2.1M

383.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

10.94

-43.97%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,126 in El Paso, TX versus $1,062 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 384% 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 $78.0 in El Paso, TX versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $305 – 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 25% 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 $3,158 per month in El Paso, TX and $2,521 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 $2,105 in El Paso, TX and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in El Paso, TX at $2,105. 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 $1,681 versus $2,105 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.