Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alexandra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alexandra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,024 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,577 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,131 in Alexandra, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Alexandra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Alexandra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Alexandra 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.58 R 139

-30.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.80 R 546

-1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.65 R 75.3

55.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.06 R 33.26

-20.87%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.00 R 16.10

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.81 R 13.11

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.19 R 35.37

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.58 R 41.76

25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.15 R 18.65

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.07 R 17.29

20.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.58 R 25.53

-16.46%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.48 R 40.13

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.88 R 127

-44.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.55 R 73.5

29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.27 R 101

37.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.62 R 26.24

38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.51 R 24.43

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.53 R 24.66

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.61 R 26.02

-11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.37 R 22.17

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.17 R 18.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.08 R 17.53

-17.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.93 R 15.08

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.87 R 46.44

-21.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.04 R 81.5

119.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.32 R 21.28

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.62 R 26.11

46.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.69 R 27.24

-50.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.15 R 18.61

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.95 R 15.40

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.10 R 50.1

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.27 R 20.59

-20.47%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.2K R 310.9K

-8.57%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.8K R 384.2K

11.48%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$120 R 1,935

-30.07%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$37.26 R 602

-74.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$37.83 R 612

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$31.30 R 506

-19.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.16 R 116

-42.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$199 R 3,221

56.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,355 R 70.4K

37.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.49 R 800

17.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$32.27 R 522

0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$86.8 R 1,403

14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.6 R 1,270

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$365 R 5,893

32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$340 R 5,496

11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$692 R 11.2K

20.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$684 R 11.1K

5.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$923 R 14.9K

207.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$599 R 9,681

104.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,786 R 28.9K

-69.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $365 in Alexandra. 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 230% higher in Alexandra, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Alexandra. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $177 in Alexandra – so Alexandra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Alexandra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandra costs about 1% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,535 in Alexandra. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,024 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $199 in Alexandra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Alexandra at $1,024. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alexandra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,024 in Alexandra. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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