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: $2,275 in High Level versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,297 in High Level versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,318 in High Level versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in High Level is roughly 39% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: High Level 65% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.86 CA$23.38

$8.04 COP 24.8K

109.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.2

$48.29 COP 148.6K

24.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.52

$9.42 COP 29.0K

18.79%

Cappuccino

$3.31 CA$4.60

$2.94 COP 9,040

12.59%

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

$2.03 CA$2.81

$1.86 COP 5,735

9.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.46 COP 4,479

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.23

$3.21 COP 9,882

85.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$6.99

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.72

$1.44 COP 4,428

36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$2.40 COP 7,389

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.62

$1.70 COP 5,228

95.88%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.28

$2.89 COP 8,896

6.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 CA$12.72

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.08 CA$18.14

$9.97 COP 30.7K

31.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 CA$20.51

$14.20 COP 43.7K

4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$3.98 COP 12.3K

10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.58 COP 4,878

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$2.15 COP 6,624

68.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.09

$2.30 COP 7,078

90.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.17

$2.00 COP 6,169

14.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$1.51 COP 4,646

65.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$1.20 COP 3,701

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.28 COP 3,946

23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.74 CA$19.05

$3.84 COP 11.8K

257.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 CA$15.45

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-20.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$1.71 COP 5,256

62.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.74 COP 8,440

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$1.25 COP 3,834

73.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 CA$77.1

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-28.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$1.31 COP 4,016

103.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$2.17 COP 6,680

-34.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.06 CA$37.53

$8.29 COP 25.5K

226.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.36 COP 4,172

-15.44%

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

$29.4K CA$40.7K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

6.91%

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

$19.1K CA$26.5K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-47.73%

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

$139 CA$192

$169 COP 519.2K

-17.76%

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

$33.52 CA$46.49

$13.57 COP 41.8K

147.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 CA$73.3

$28.32 COP 87.2K

86.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$58.5

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-7.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 CA$29.03

$17.22 COP 53.0K

21.54%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 CA$16.96

$6.65 COP 20.5K

83.91%

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

$887 CA$1,230

$803 COP 2.5M

10.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.5K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

37.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.9

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.52 CA$60.4

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-26.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 CA$103

$139 COP 427.5K

-46.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$102 COP 314.0K

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 CA$1,770

$1,071 COP 3.3M

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CA$1,777

$653 COP 2.0M

96.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 CA$2,382

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 CA$2,175

$1,048 COP 3.2M

49.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,084 CA$5,665

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,144 CA$5,748

$1,697 COP 5.2M

144.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

10.94

-57.22%

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

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in High Level and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in High Level vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $300 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 39% in total monthly costs ($2,275 vs $1,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,413 in High Level 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,276 in High Level versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,275 per month in High Level versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 40% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,275 in High Level, a $2,500 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 39% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.