Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Gatos, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Gatos, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,764 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,116 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,467 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Los Gatos, CA costs about 167% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Los Gatos, CA sits 106% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.56 $30.56

$5.92 COP 21.5K

416.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$32.75 COP 119.1K

238.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.26 $14.26

$7.20 COP 26.2K

98.06%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$1.70 COP 6,186

185.29%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.10 COP 3,996

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.72 COP 2,625

211.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.02 $9.02

$1.67 COP 6,067

440.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$3.10 COP 11.3K

156.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.06 COP 3,837

34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.25 COP 4,531

308.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.39 COP 5,060

130.94%

Eggs

$5.50 $5.50

$2.26 COP 8,229

143.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$4.33 COP 15.8K

205.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$5.84 COP 21.2K

152.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$8.83 COP 32.1K

93.54%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$2.24 COP 8,159

241.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.08 COP 3,911

107.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.53 COP 5,563

187.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.37 COP 4,987

270.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.13 COP 4,109

153.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.12 COP 4,067

209.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.85 COP 3,080

155.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.91 COP 3,305

194.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 $10.48

$2.33 COP 8,477

349.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$11.13 COP 40.5K

34.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.19 COP 4,342

44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.37 COP 8,617

65.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.79 COP 2,859

158.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.44 COP 5,223

139.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.91 COP 6,952

-1.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.57 $30.57

$8.02 COP 29.2K

281.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.94 COP 3,410

37.23%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

35.86%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-3.02%

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

$222 $222

$84.0 COP 305.4K

164.08%

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

$39.02 $39.02

$9.60 COP 34.9K

306.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$24.16 COP 87.9K

158.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$25.88 COP 94.1K

66.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 $14.22

$3.92 COP 14.2K

262.76%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$306 COP 1.1M

270.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

309.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.65 $40.65

$31.82 COP 115.7K

27.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 $94.3

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 $79.4

$107 COP 389.7K

-25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$487 COP 1.8M

233.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$368 COP 1.3M

269.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$826 COP 3.0M

222.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$716 COP 2.6M

214.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,925 COP 10.6M

21.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Los Gatos, CA versus $487 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 $111 in Los Gatos, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 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

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

Los Gatos, CA costs about 167% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,147 per month in Los Gatos, CA and $1,550 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 $111 in Los Gatos, CA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% more in Los Gatos, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Los Gatos, CA at $2,764. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Gatos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $2,764 in Los Gatos, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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