Cost of Living Comparison Between Highland, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Highland, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,486 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,709 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 144% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Highland, CA sits 86% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$5.93 COP 19.0K

200.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$33.12 COP 106.0K

143.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$7.12 COP 22.8K

66.29%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$1.71 COP 5,457

195.32%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.05 COP 3,356

156.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.72 COP 2,311

172.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$1.72 COP 5,502

312.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.17 COP 10.2K

118.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.06 COP 3,408

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.31 COP 4,192

203.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.33 COP 4,256

206.77%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.28 COP 7,298

66.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$4.42 COP 14.1K

138.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$5.92 COP 18.9K

47.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$8.64 COP 27.7K

69.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.34 COP 7,504

46.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.10 COP 3,527

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.47 COP 4,698

173.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.38 COP 4,415

292.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.17 COP 3,754

168.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.17 COP 3,744

154.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.90 COP 2,890

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.84 COP 2,693

160.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 $11.15

$2.33 COP 7,449

378.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$11.92 COP 38.1K

31.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.15 COP 3,673

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.42 COP 7,749

40.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 COP 2,687

134.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$40.83 COP 130.7K

-26.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 $6.73

$1.41 COP 4,517

377.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.91 COP 6,127

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$7.83 COP 25.0K

268.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.94 COP 3,020

30.85%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

36.34%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-10.93%

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

$154 $154

$83.3 COP 266.4K

85.40%

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

$46.40 $46.40

$9.66 COP 30.9K

380.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$24.22 COP 77.5K

144.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 $42.54

$25.22 COP 80.7K

68.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$4.07 COP 13.0K

248.16%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$307 COP 981.2K

294.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

298.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.57 $46.57

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-22.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.78 $33.78

$32.65 COP 104.5K

3.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$101 COP 323.5K

-15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$108 COP 345.7K

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$476 COP 1.5M

235.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$379 COP 1.2M

256.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$816 COP 2.6M

222.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$707 COP 2.3M

218.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-26.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,521 $2,521

$1,446 COP 4.6M

74.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Highland, CA versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Highland, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $192 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Highland, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,486 in Highland, CA, $1,018 in Medellin – roughly 144% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,729 per month in Highland, CA and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Highland, CA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,486 in Highland, CA and $1,018 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Highland, CA at $2,486. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,018 in Medellin to $2,486 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.