Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alert Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alert

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $2,372 in Alert, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $3,387 in Alert, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $4,403 in Alert, rent included.

Medellin is about 57% cheaper than Alert, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Alert is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$16.96 CA$23.24

-63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$70.9 CA$97.1

-53.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$11.00 CA$15.07

-33.45%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$3.75 CA$5.14

-55.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$2.03 CA$2.78

-45.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$1.66 CA$2.27

-53.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$5.41 CA$7.41

-68.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$5.98 CA$8.19

-46.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$2.10 CA$2.87

-47.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$2.69 CA$3.69

-51.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$3.50 CA$4.80

-60.57%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$3.51 CA$4.80

-36.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$11.18 CA$15.32

-61.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$11.74 CA$16.09

-50.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$14.94 CA$20.47

-39.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$4.16 CA$5.70

-45.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$1.35 CA$1.85

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$3.71 CA$5.08

-60.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$3.87 CA$5.30

-64.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$2.40 CA$3.29

-53.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$2.54 CA$3.48

-54.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$2.63 CA$3.60

-66.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$1.74 CA$2.38

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$13.78 CA$18.87

-82.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$13.02 CA$17.84

-16.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$2.92 CA$4.00

-58.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$3.16 CA$4.33

-21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

$2.35 CA$3.21

-66.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

$63.5 CA$87.0

-35.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$3.13 CA$4.28

-54.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$1.45 CA$1.99

31.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$26.04 CA$35.68

-70.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.17 CA$1.60

-17.09%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$25.4K CA$34.7K

-28.65%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$20.5K CA$28.1K

28.05%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$142 CA$195

-42.90%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$43.49 CA$59.6

-77.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$61.4 CA$84.1

-60.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

$41.09 CA$56.3

-36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$11.21 CA$15.36

-65.30%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$744 CA$1,019

-59.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$11.8K CA$16.1K

-49.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$54.5 CA$74.7

7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$40.14 CA$55.0

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$86.8 CA$119

17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$109 CA$150

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$1,307 CA$1,791

-63.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,198 CA$1,641

-69.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$2,054 CA$2,815

-58.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,833 CA$2,511

-60.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

$4,005 CA$5,487

-28.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$3,770 CA$5,165

-63.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$3,566 CA$4,885

-84.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Alert: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $1,307 in Alert. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 558% higher in Alert, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $71 in Alert. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $367 – 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

Medellin vs Alert: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,014 in Medellin, $2,372 in Alert – roughly 134% apart. Alert costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $3,557 in Alert. 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.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Alert, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $71.0 in Alert. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Alert at $2,372. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alert 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 $1,014 in Medellin to $2,372 in Alert. 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, Alert makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.