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 $2,547 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,699 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,851 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 151% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Highland, CA sits 90% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.93 $17.93

$5.99 COP 21.5K

199.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$32.86 COP 118.1K

139.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$7.09 COP 25.5K

67.84%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$1.71 COP 6,154

197.66%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.10 COP 3,949

148.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.78 COP 2,798

161.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$1.68 COP 6,035

307.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.07 COP 11.0K

133.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.09 COP 3,930

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.26 COP 4,536

213.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.38 COP 4,953

206.52%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$2.19 COP 7,876

72.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$4.40 COP 15.8K

146.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 $8.90

$5.63 COP 20.2K

58.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.70 $14.70

$8.89 COP 32.0K

65.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.34 COP 8,401

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.06 COP 3,801

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.50 COP 5,408

170.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$1.38 COP 4,955

313.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.15 COP 4,137

184.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.16 COP 4,181

150.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.89 COP 3,202

61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.84 COP 3,016

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 $11.15

$2.28 COP 8,196

389.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 $16.14

$10.64 COP 38.2K

51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.20 COP 4,311

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.47 COP 8,880

38.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.86 COP 3,075

134.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 $29.68

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-28.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.47 COP 5,297

359.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 COP 7,053

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 $28.94

$7.74 COP 27.8K

273.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.95 COP 3,430

31.58%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

34.42%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-7.79%

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

$158 $158

$82.3 COP 295.6K

92.53%

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

$45.67 $45.67

$9.50 COP 34.1K

380.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 $60.3

$24.23 COP 87.1K

149.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.35 $43.35

$25.89 COP 93.0K

67.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$3.93 COP 14.1K

254.45%

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

$1,191 $1,191

$309 COP 1.1M

284.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

286.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.71 $47.71

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-18.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 $34.29

$32.35 COP 116.2K

6.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$103 COP 368.7K

-17.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 $84.1

$108 COP 389.6K

-22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$476 COP 1.7M

232.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$379 COP 1.4M

253.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$838 COP 3.0M

220.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 $2,238

$724 COP 2.6M

209.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 $2,948

$2,791 COP 10.0M

5.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,550 $2,550

$1,211 COP 4.4M

110.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 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 $79.0 in Highland, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $188 – 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: $2,547 in Highland, CA, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 151% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,820 per month in Highland, CA and $1,519 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 $2,547 in Highland, CA and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Highland, CA at $2,547. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $2,547 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.