Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,298 in High Level versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,371 in High Level versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,445 in High Level versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in High Level is roughly 123% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: High Level is 72% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 CA$24.18

$6.16 COP 20.0K

180.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 CA$97.9

$32.60 COP 106.0K

114.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$7.34 COP 23.9K

47.68%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.21

$1.72 COP 5,592

115.70%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$1.05 COP 3,416

95.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$0.77 COP 2,511

111.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 CA$7.78

$1.69 COP 5,480

228.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 CA$8.18

$3.17 COP 10.3K

83.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.05 COP 3,418

106.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.30 COP 4,230

106.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$1.40 COP 4,538

157.14%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.94

$2.16 COP 7,037

63.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.85

$4.39 COP 14.3K

157.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.76 CA$16.48

$5.88 COP 19.1K

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.45

$8.64 COP 28.1K

68.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.73

$2.28 COP 7,415

79.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.11 COP 3,599

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.09

$1.53 COP 4,976

137.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.16

$1.35 COP 4,405

172.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$1.13 COP 3,669

118.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$1.13 COP 3,687

120.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CA$3.56

$0.85 COP 2,749

198.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$0.91 COP 2,971

86.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.64

$2.34 COP 7,619

498.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 CA$19.33

$12.37 COP 40.2K

11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$1.20 COP 3,904

142.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.49 COP 8,094

22.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$0.84 COP 2,724

188.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$88.5

$40.57 COP 131.9K

55.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$1.42 COP 4,617

119.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$1.92 COP 6,227

-23.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.17 CA$36.69

$7.66 COP 24.9K

241.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$0.99 COP 3,219

18.18%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

41.11%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-23.59%

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

$143 CA$200

$80.8 COP 262.7K

76.57%

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

$43.91 CA$61.6

$9.95 COP 32.3K

341.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CA$89.3

$24.18 COP 78.6K

163.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 CA$59.5

$25.08 COP 81.5K

69.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 CA$16.18

$3.98 COP 13.0K

189.95%

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

$731 CA$1,025

$305 COP 992.2K

139.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

97.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.1

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.76 CA$55.8

$32.20 COP 104.7K

23.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 CA$123

$101 COP 327.5K

-12.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$108 COP 350.3K

-1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CA$1,874

$477 COP 1.5M

180.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$376 COP 1.2M

217.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,848

$845 COP 2.7M

140.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 CA$2,510

$730 COP 2.4M

145.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,689 CA$5,171

$3,215 COP 10.5M

14.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,814 CA$5,347

$1,372 COP 4.5M

177.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for High Level: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,337 in High Level and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in High Level vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 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

High Level vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

High Level and Medellin differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($2,298 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,447 in High Level and $1,546 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,337 in High Level versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,298 per month in High Level versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 56% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,298 in High Level, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in High Level. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, High Level 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.