Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alberton Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alberton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,090 in Alberton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,744 in Alberton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,399 in Alberton.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Alberton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Alberton 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.44 R 139

-27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.95 R 544

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.60 R 76.0

59.57%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.01 R 33.23

-14.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 R 16.90

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.87 R 14.36

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.31 R 38.04

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.26 R 37.37

40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.08 R 17.83

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.07 R 17.61

21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.65 R 27.17

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.09 R 34.49

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.80 R 129

-43.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.64 R 76.6

26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.85 R 96.5

47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.57 R 25.94

45.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.56 R 25.69

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 R 25.35

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.59 R 26.17

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.14 R 18.89

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.20 R 19.83

-5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.09 R 17.95

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.90 R 14.88

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.82 R 46.51

-17.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.00 R 49.54

312.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.16 R 19.07

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.28 R 21.15

94.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.73 R 45.10

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$114 R 1,886

-64.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.42 R 23.42

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.32 R 21.72

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.04 R 50.1

151.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.22 R 20.08

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.1K R 314.7K

-5.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.0K R 429.5K

2.32%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$126 R 2,073

-35.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$38.04 R 628

-73.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.94 R 626

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.58 R 620

-33.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.26 R 235

34.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.65 R 93.3

-29.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$138 R 2,275

121.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,656 R 27.3K

265.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$48.91 R 807

18.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.33 R 501

6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.7 R 1,447

14.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$87.0 R 1,437

23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$407 R 6,723

17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$305 R 5,040

23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$849 R 14.0K

-0.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$687 R 11.3K

6.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$738 R 12.2K

335.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$614 R 10.1K

123.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,079 R 34.3K

-70.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69

14.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alberton: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $407 in Alberton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alberton pays 237% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Alberton. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $167, with Alberton cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Alberton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 237% lower in Alberton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $407 in Alberton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Alberton pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $33.00 in Alberton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,090 in Alberton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Alberton. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alberton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Alberton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.