Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alcorcón Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alcorcón

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,688 in Alcorcón.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $2,503 in Alcorcón.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $3,318 in Alcorcón.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Alcorcón, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Alcorcón 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$16.78 €14.98

-52.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$56.7 €50.6

-17.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$11.15 €9.95

-15.43%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$2.05 €1.83

41.95%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$2.82 €2.52

-37.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$2.02 €1.80

-34.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$3.91 €3.49

-19.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$3.96 €3.53

40.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$1.38 €1.23

2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$1.58 €1.41

54.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$1.57 €1.40

3.82%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$2.92 €2.61

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$16.70 €14.90

-41.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$9.63 €8.59

-3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$18.05 €16.11

-25.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$2.60 €2.32

53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$2.53 €2.26

-41.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$2.62 €2.34

-19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$3.02 €2.70

-25.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$1.98 €1.76

-3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$2.23 €1.99

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$1.53 €1.37

-24.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$0.81 €0.72

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$6.35 €5.67

-39.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$7.74 €6.91

69.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$0.92 €0.83

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$2.19 €1.95

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$1.65 €1.47

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

$33.27 €29.70

125.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$2.42 €2.16

-47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$1.06 €0.94

93.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$29.74 €26.54

-72.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.80 €1.61

-29.44%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$35.1K €31.3K

-23.72%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$29.3K €26.1K

17.44%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$167 €149

-2.92%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$11.82 €10.55

11.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$34.89 €31.15

-19.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

$46.14 €41.19

-3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

$16.59 €14.81

-1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$8.91 €7.95

-31.65%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$514 €459

48.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$7,915 €7,065

12.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$89.5 €79.9

-5.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$39.93 €35.64

43.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$99.7 €89.0

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$116 €103

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$925 €826

11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$699 €624

-13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,389 €1,240

29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$1,020 €911

-2.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$3,336 €2,977

17.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$2,209 €1,972

-25.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.09

254.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Alcorcón: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $925 in Alcorcón. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $57.0 in Alcorcón for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $304 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 Alcorcón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $2,384 in Medellin and $2,533 in Alcorcón 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $925 in Alcorcón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Medellin versus $1,688 in Alcorcón – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 125% less than in Alcorcón. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,688 in Alcorcón, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Alcorcón. 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 Alcorcón, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Alcorcón are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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