Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Albion Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Albion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,046 in Albion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,860 in Albion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,674 in Albion.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 3% less than in Albion, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Albion 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$6.69 MURΒ 316
-10.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$44.06 MURΒ 2,082
-25.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$6.43 MURΒ 304
10.26%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$1.60 MURΒ 75.4
6.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.97 MURΒ 45.90
13.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.60 MURΒ 28.58
30.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$1.96 MURΒ 92.6
-14.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$2.66 MURΒ 126
15.41%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$1.51 MURΒ 71.4
-27.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.56 MURΒ 26.65
125.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.32 MURΒ 62.4
4.55%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$2.35 MURΒ 111
-6.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$11.91 MURΒ 563
-63.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$5.27 MURΒ 249
6.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$8.32 MURΒ 393
6.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$1.61 MURΒ 76.1
45.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$1.38 MURΒ 65.0
-23.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$1.45 MURΒ 68.5
3.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$2.02 MURΒ 95.6
-31.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$0.84 MURΒ 39.69
36.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$0.67 MURΒ 31.85
73.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$0.63 MURΒ 29.72
41.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.31 MURΒ 14.83
170.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$6.01 MURΒ 284
-62.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$7.83 MURΒ 370
35.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$1.73 MURΒ 81.5
-30.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$2.17 MURΒ 102
13.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Albion
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$1.11 MURΒ 52.7
-22.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
$44.01 MURΒ 2,079
-5.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$4.31 MURΒ 204
-65.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$2.59 MURΒ 122
-24.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$19.77 MURΒ 934
-60.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$1.38 MURΒ 65.3
-31.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$35.5K MURΒ 1.7M
-48.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$28.3K MURΒ 1.3M
-6.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$48.51 MURΒ 2,292
69.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$18.39 MURΒ 869
-48.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$33.42 MURΒ 1,579
-27.50%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$69.4 MURΒ 3,279
-62.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$6.01 MURΒ 284
-34.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$157 MURΒ 7,414
97.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$3,953 MURΒ 186.8K
50.89%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$55.8 MURΒ 2,634
5.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$44.35 MURΒ 2,096
-27.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$78.1 MURΒ 3,691
31.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$88.7 MURΒ 4,192
22.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Albion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$507 MURΒ 24.0K
-6.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$352 MURΒ 16.6K
7.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$932 MURΒ 44.0K
-10.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$1,110 MURΒ 52.4K
-34.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Albion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
6.67
101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Albion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $507 in Albion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Albion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Albion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Albion?
Medellin and Albion differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,046 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Albion?
You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,569 in Albion to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Albion?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $507 in Albion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Medellin and Albion?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 6% less than in Albion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Albion?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $157 in Albion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,046 in Albion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Albion. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Albion?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Medellin or Albion safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Albion are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Albion?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Albion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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