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: $787 in El Viejo versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,230 in El Viejo versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in El Viejo versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in El Viejo costs roughly 52% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Viejo is 43% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 NIO 369

$8.04 COP 24.8K

25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.61 NIO 1,377

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-22.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 NIO 280

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-18.79%

Cappuccino

$2.59 NIO 94.7

$2.94 COP 9,040

-11.90%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.11

$1.86 COP 5,735

-52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NIO 24.54

$1.46 COP 4,479

-54.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 NIO 51.8

$3.21 COP 9,882

-56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 NIO 73.8

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-64.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 NIO 46.77

$1.44 COP 4,428

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 NIO 87.3

$2.40 COP 7,389

-0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NIO 63.3

$1.70 COP 5,228

1.76%

Eggs

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$2.89 COP 8,896

-20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 NIO 426

$10.06 COP 30.9K

15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 NIO 241

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 NIO 265

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-48.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 NIO 137

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 NIO 22.99

$1.58 COP 4,878

-60.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 NIO 66.6

$2.15 COP 6,624

-15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 83.8

$2.30 COP 7,078

-0.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 NIO 140

$2.00 COP 6,169

91.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$1.51 COP 4,646

44.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 NIO 37.94

$1.20 COP 3,701

-13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NIO 39.39

$1.28 COP 3,946

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 NIO 94.8

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-32.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 NIO 531

$14.01 COP 43.1K

3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 NIO 52.4

$1.71 COP 5,256

-16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NIO 85.8

$2.74 COP 8,440

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$1.31 COP 4,016

26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 NIO 58.7

$2.17 COP 6,680

-26.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 NIO 251

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 NIO 47.64

$1.36 COP 4,172

-4.41%

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

$22.7K NIO 830.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-17.47%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.7K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.21%

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

$120 NIO 4,409

$169 COP 519.2K

-28.65%

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

$16.95 NIO 621

$13.57 COP 41.8K

24.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.01 NIO 1,355

$28.32 COP 87.2K

30.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 NIO 307

$6.65 COP 20.5K

26.02%

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

$234 NIO 8,563

$803 COP 2.5M

-70.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 NIO 220.3K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-34.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 NIO 2,581

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.2 NIO 2,646

$59.4 COP 182.7K

21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,820

$139 COP 427.5K

-5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,927

$102 COP 314.0K

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

10.94

-6.31%

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

Last update for El Viejo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in El Viejo vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $300 per month, with El Viejo 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,181 in El Viejo and $2,462 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 $234 in El Viejo versus $803 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 $38.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $787 in El Viejo versus $1,641 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 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.