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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,081 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,681 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,281 in Alexandra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Alexandra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Alexandra is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$8.77 R 146

-8.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$36.71 R 611

26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$5.26 R 87.5

79.28%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$2.23 R 37.05

30.49%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$1.08 R 17.90

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$0.82 R 13.59

60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$2.27 R 37.71

37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$2.72 R 45.25

104.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$1.15 R 19.20

22.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$1.12 R 18.65

117.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$1.76 R 29.22

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$2.49 R 41.37

13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$8.12 R 135

19.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$4.79 R 79.7

94.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$7.04 R 117

91.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$1.71 R 28.42

133.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$1.65 R 27.39

-10.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$1.78 R 29.58

19.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$1.56 R 25.88

44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$1.12 R 18.58

70.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$1.21 R 20.10

33.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$1.17 R 19.54

-1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$1.28 R 21.22

-1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$3.33 R 55.4

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$5.23 R 87.0

150.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$1.52 R 25.28

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$1.95 R 32.42

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$1.51 R 25.10

-22.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$0.29 R 4.77

337.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$0.81 R 13.51

153.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$14.50 R 241

-43.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.55 R 25.84

-18.06%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$34.8K R 579.4K

-23.13%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$32.3K R 537.3K

6.51%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$150 R 2,489

8.41%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$36.74 R 611

-64.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$36.44 R 606

-22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

$33.49 R 557

32.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

$9.98 R 166

63.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$7.36 R 122

-17.26%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$242 R 4,025

215.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$5,496 R 91.4K

62.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$52.4 R 871

62.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$31.36 R 522

83.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$90.5 R 1,505

45.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$83.6 R 1,390

14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$437 R 7,262

135.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$367 R 6,098

64.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$697 R 11.6K

158.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$746 R 12.4K

33.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$896 R 14.9K

337.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$642 R 10.7K

155.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$1,739 R 28.9K

-64.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.91

0.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $437 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 178% higher in Alexandra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Alexandra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $190 – making Alexandra 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 Alexandra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 47% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,622 in Alexandra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $1,081 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $242 in Alexandra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,081 versus $1,589 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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