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: $2,363 in High Level versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,362 in High Level versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,361 in High Level versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in High Level is roughly 133% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: High Level is 76% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.89 CA$23.39

$5.99 COP 21.4K

181.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$97.9

$32.86 COP 117.4K

115.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.14

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.30%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.21

$1.71 COP 6,115

119.88%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.10 COP 3,924

80.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$0.78 COP 2,781

114.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.75

$1.68 COP 5,997

233.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.10

$3.07 COP 11.0K

90.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.09 COP 3,906

91.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$1.26 COP 4,508

107.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$1.38 COP 4,922

163.77%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$2.19 COP 7,827

58.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 CA$15.22

$4.40 COP 15.7K

149.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.12

$5.63 COP 20.1K

106.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$8.89 COP 31.8K

65.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.34 COP 8,349

68.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.06 COP 3,777

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$1.50 COP 5,374

144.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.31

$1.38 COP 4,924

178.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$1.15 COP 4,111

118.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.16 COP 4,155

115.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$0.89 COP 3,182

194.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.45

$0.84 COP 2,997

110.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$19.08

$2.28 COP 8,145

504.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 CA$16.37

$10.64 COP 38.0K

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.87

$1.20 COP 4,284

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.21

$2.47 COP 8,824

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$0.86 COP 3,056

179.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$85.8

$41.40 COP 147.9K

49.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.49

$1.47 COP 5,264

120.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.96 COP 7,009

-24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.67 CA$35.54

$7.74 COP 27.6K

231.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$0.95 COP 3,409

21.05%

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

$25.3K CA$35.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

39.53%

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

$21.0K CA$29.1K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-20.67%

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

$140 CA$194

$82.3 COP 293.7K

70.66%

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

$43.21 CA$59.8

$9.50 COP 33.9K

354.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 CA$87.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

160.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.85 CA$57.9

$25.89 COP 92.4K

61.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.02

$3.93 COP 14.0K

194.40%

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

$723 CA$1,002

$309 COP 1.1M

133.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

97.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$76.2

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 CA$54.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

21.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$103 COP 366.4K

-15.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$108 COP 387.2K

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,837

$476 COP 1.7M

178.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 CA$1,640

$379 COP 1.4M

212.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,804

$838 COP 3.0M

141.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 CA$2,500

$724 COP 2.6M

149.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,894 CA$6,776

$2,791 COP 10.0M

75.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 CA$5,654

$1,211 COP 4.3M

237.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in High Level and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in High Level vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $188 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 133% in total monthly costs ($2,363 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,545 in High Level and $1,519 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: $1,327 in High Level versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,363 per month in High Level versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 50% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,363 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 133% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.