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 $2,482 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,707 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 141% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Highland, CA sits 85% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 $18.23

$5.92 COP 21.2K

207.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$33.17 COP 118.7K

139.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 $11.77

$7.25 COP 25.9K

62.34%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$1.71 COP 6,137

195.91%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.09 COP 3,915

155.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.77 COP 2,743

158.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$1.75 COP 6,254

304.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$3.18 COP 11.4K

114.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.06 COP 3,792

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.30 COP 4,657

206.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.38 COP 4,926

199.28%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$2.21 COP 7,908

75.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$4.52 COP 16.2K

136.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$5.80 COP 20.7K

49.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 $14.73

$8.97 COP 32.1K

64.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.29 COP 8,182

51.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.06 COP 3,791

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.51 COP 5,411

165.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$1.36 COP 4,869

311.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.16 COP 4,146

181.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.17 COP 4,174

142.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.83 COP 2,960

68.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.85 COP 3,043

154.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$2.35 COP 8,423

371.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$11.09 COP 39.7K

42.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.15 COP 4,133

72.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.47 COP 8,853

42.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.79 COP 2,827

155.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.88 $29.88

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-28.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 $6.69

$1.44 COP 5,140

364.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.90 COP 6,793

-12.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.34 $29.34

$7.70 COP 27.6K

281.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.03 COP 3,680

21.36%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

36.37%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-9.27%

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

$155 $155

$81.4 COP 291.4K

90.37%

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

$46.97 $46.97

$9.42 COP 33.7K

398.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$23.77 COP 85.1K

155.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 $42.89

$25.86 COP 92.6K

65.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 $14.16

$4.05 COP 14.5K

249.63%

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

$1,220 $1,220

$312 COP 1.1M

290.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

286.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.16 $47.16

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-19.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 $33.55

$32.82 COP 117.5K

2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 $84.7

$100 COP 359.6K

-15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$106 COP 380.3K

-19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 $1,580

$490 COP 1.8M

222.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 $1,353

$371 COP 1.3M

265.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$838 COP 3.0M

215.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$715 COP 2.6M

217.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,890 $2,890

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-2.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 $2,478

$1,394 COP 5.0M

77.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,580 in Highland, CA versus $490 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 $79 in Highland, CA versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $190 – 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: $2,482 in Highland, CA, $1,030 in Medellin – roughly 141% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,722 per month in Highland, CA and $1,544 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 $79.0 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 $2,482 in Highland, CA and $1,030 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 $1,030, than in Highland, CA at $2,482. 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 $1,030 in Medellin to $2,482 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.