Cost of Living Comparison Between El Viejo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Viejo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $726 in El Viejo versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in El Viejo versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,594 in El Viejo versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in El Viejo costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Viejo 45% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.02 NIO 184

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-15.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.48 NIO 1,300

$32.96 COP 105.2K

7.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 NIO 260

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-4.31%

Cappuccino

$2.39 NIO 87.4

$1.65 COP 5,276

44.85%

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

$0.83 NIO 30.51

$1.10 COP 3,514

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NIO 27.27

$0.78 COP 2,491

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 NIO 48.84

$1.72 COP 5,484

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.4

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-38.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 NIO 46.55

$1.10 COP 3,521

15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 NIO 90.8

$1.26 COP 4,015

96.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NIO 66.1

$1.38 COP 4,407

31.16%

Eggs

$2.23 NIO 81.8

$2.18 COP 6,950

2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 NIO 413

$4.49 COP 14.3K

151.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 NIO 249

$5.79 COP 18.5K

17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 NIO 288

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 NIO 141

$2.32 COP 7,405

65.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NIO 30.92

$1.06 COP 3,397

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 NIO 64.1

$1.52 COP 4,838

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 NIO 81.2

$1.36 COP 4,327

63.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 NIO 144

$1.13 COP 3,599

246.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NIO 80.5

$1.17 COP 3,738

88.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 NIO 37.32

$0.90 COP 2,876

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 NIO 38.72

$0.90 COP 2,861

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 NIO 95.9

$2.23 COP 7,128

17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.56 NIO 533

$12.12 COP 38.7K

20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 NIO 53.8

$1.19 COP 3,793

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 NIO 82.5

$2.48 COP 7,920

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$1.42 COP 4,518

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 NIO 252

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-12.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.41

$0.99 COP 3,160

30.30%

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

$23.2K NIO 850.4K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

31.91%

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

$26.4K NIO 967.2K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-1.46%

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

$97.5 NIO 3,570

$83.0 COP 264.9K

17.43%

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

$16.96 NIO 621

$9.70 COP 30.9K

74.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.93 NIO 1,389

$23.52 COP 75.0K

61.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 NIO 286

$3.95 COP 12.6K

97.72%

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

$126 NIO 4,615

$316 COP 1.0M

-60.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,073 NIO 222.4K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

1.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 NIO 2,793

$60.0 COP 191.4K

27.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 NIO 2,690

$31.82 COP 101.5K

130.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 NIO 4,861

$102 COP 324.4K

30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NIO 3,937

$107 COP 342.8K

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

13.43

-23.68%

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

Last update for El Viejo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in El Viejo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 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

El Viejo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,088 in El Viejo and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $126 in El Viejo versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $726 in El Viejo versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, El Viejo 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 El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.