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 $2,989 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,417 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,844 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 74% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Highland, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Highland, CA by 118%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$8.03 COP 25.1K

215.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$48.26 COP 150.8K

104.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$9.77 COP 30.5K

52.51%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$2.91 COP 9,095

100.69%

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

$3.85 $3.85

$1.94 COP 6,074

98.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.52 COP 4,754

99.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 $8.09

$3.09 COP 9,663

161.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$5.74 COP 17.9K

106.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.36 COP 4,262

7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.39 COP 7,460

99.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.18 $7.18

$1.70 COP 5,314

322.35%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.87 COP 8,967

78.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$9.94 COP 31.1K

92.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.78 COP 33.7K

37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 $22.01

$14.73 COP 46.0K

49.42%

Apples (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.09 COP 12.8K

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.57 COP 4,911

105.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.13 COP 6,642

200.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$2.21 COP 6,917

337.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.05 COP 6,396

38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.50 COP 4,700

230.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.19 COP 3,718

195.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.16 COP 3,619

138.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.67 $11.67

$3.90 COP 12.2K

199.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 $16.25

$14.44 COP 45.1K

12.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.58 COP 4,948

46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.83 COP 8,836

59.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.17 COP 3,650

75.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-60.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.28 COP 4,014

132.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.09 COP 6,537

16.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 $59.2

$8.62 COP 26.9K

587.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.30 COP 4,056

10.77%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

36.21%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.23%

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

$249 $249

$176 COP 550.1K

41.53%

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

$74.5 $74.5

$13.37 COP 41.8K

457.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$29.89 COP 93.4K

134.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.10 $42.10

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-5.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 $13.76

$6.20 COP 19.4K

121.94%

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

$1,420 $1,420

$793 COP 2.5M

78.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

306.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 $86.5

$85.6 COP 267.5K

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 $46.61

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$136 COP 425.9K

-41.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$103 COP 322.2K

25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$1,060 COP 3.3M

60.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 $1,188

$680 COP 2.1M

74.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,746 $2,746

$2,012 COP 6.3M

36.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$1,169 COP 3.7M

84.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,057 $3,057

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-25.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 $2,234

$1,701 COP 5.3M

31.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

10.94

-42.96%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Highland, CA versus $1,060 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $562 vs $303 – 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: $2,989 in Highland, CA, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 74% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,484 per month in Highland, CA and $2,574 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA and $48.00 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 $2,989 in Highland, CA and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Highland, CA at $2,989. 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 $1,716 in Medellin to $2,989 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.