🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,320 in Envigado versus $1,641 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,074 in Envigado versus $2,447 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,829 in Envigado versus $3,253 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Envigado costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Envigado is 4% below, Medellin is 19% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.59COP 23.6K
$8.04COP 25.0K
-5.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.92COP 130.1K
$48.29COP 149.9K
-13.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.79COP 30.4K
$9.42COP 29.3K
3.93%
Cappuccino
$2.65COP 8,229
$2.94COP 9,120
-9.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,083
$1.86COP 5,786
-29.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94COP 2,908
$1.46COP 4,519
-35.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.56COP 7,948
$3.21COP 9,969
-20.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71COP 11.5K
$5.71COP 17.7K
-35.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48COP 4,589
$1.44COP 4,467
2.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,438
$2.40COP 7,454
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.59COP 4,937
$1.70COP 5,274
-6.47%
Eggs
$2.95COP 9,156
$2.89COP 8,975
2.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.17COP 22.3K
$10.06COP 31.2K
-28.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.47COP 29.4K
$9.97COP 31.0K
-5.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.95COP 40.2K
$14.20COP 44.1K
-8.80%
Apples(1kg)
$3.47COP 10.8K
$3.98COP 12.4K
-12.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,292
$1.58COP 4,921
-12.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71COP 5,303
$2.15COP 6,682
-20.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.84COP 5,701
$2.30COP 7,141
-20.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.64COP 5,080
$2.00COP 6,223
-18.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49COP 4,626
$1.51COP 4,687
-1.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.21COP 3,752
$1.20COP 3,734
0.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 3,727
$1.28COP 3,981
-6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23COP 13.1K
$3.84COP 11.9K
10.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.60COP 39.1K
$14.01COP 43.5K
-10.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43COP 4,433
$1.71COP 5,302
-16.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73COP 8,467
$2.74COP 8,515
-0.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.15COP 3,555
$1.25COP 3,868
-8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$77.9COP 241.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.63COP 5,068
$1.31COP 4,052
24.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02COP 6,287
$2.17COP 6,739
-6.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.90COP 24.5K
$8.29COP 25.8K
-4.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31COP 4,075
$1.36COP 4,209
-3.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9KCOP 80.3M
$27.5KCOP 85.3M
-5.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1KCOP 112.0M
$36.5KCOP 113.4M
-1.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141COP 437.7K
$169COP 523.8K
-16.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.69COP 45.6K
$13.57COP 42.1K
8.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50COP 104.0K
$28.32COP 87.9K
18.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.35COP 109.7K
$45.71COP 141.9K
-22.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.22COP 53.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.17COP 22.3K
$6.65COP 20.6K
7.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$700COP 2.2M
$803COP 2.5M
-12.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,296COP 22.7M
$9,190COP 28.5M
-20.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.4COP 262.1K
$87.4COP 271.2K
-3.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.7COP 188.5K
$59.4COP 184.3K
2.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136COP 422.2K
$139COP 431.3K
-2.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3COP 280.5K
$102COP 316.8K
-11.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$782COP 2.4M
$1,071COP 3.3M
-26.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515COP 1.6M
$653COP 2.0M
-21.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,002COP 3.1M
$1,925COP 6.0M
-47.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$993COP 3.1M
$1,048COP 3.3M
-5.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,039COP 6.3M
$4,123COP 12.8M
-50.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,822COP 5.7M
$1,697COP 5.3M
7.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Envigado
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$655COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.58
10.94
5.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Envigado: September 5, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $782 in Envigado and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Envigado vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $300 per month, with Envigado 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
Envigado vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Envigado or Medellin?
Envigado wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Envigado the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Envigado and in Medellin?
You'd need roughly $1,980 in Envigado 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Envigado compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $782 in Envigado versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Envigado and in Medellin?
Childcare runs $700 in Envigado versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Envigado and in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Envigado – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Envigado or in Medellin?
At $1,320 in Envigado versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Envigado but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Envigado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Envigado or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Envigado delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,320 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Envigado hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Envigado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.