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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,144 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,726 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,308 in Alexandra, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Alexandra is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.08 R 146

-13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$39.19 R 631

13.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.48 R 88.2

69.53%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.28 R 36.64

27.19%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.07 R 17.22

69.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.88 R 14.21

76.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.14 R 34.44

51.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.79 R 44.94

110.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.22 R 19.63

13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.10 R 17.80

122.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.83 R 29.49

-17.49%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.52 R 40.53

10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.16 R 131

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.99 R 80.3

113.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.39 R 119

97.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.88 R 30.27

111.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.65 R 26.65

-16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.79 R 28.87

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.73 R 27.84

16.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.26 R 20.28

65.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.27 R 20.43

28.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.21 R 19.50

-10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.28 R 20.60

-2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.39 R 54.6

18.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$5.31 R 85.5

153.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.57 R 25.23

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.94 R 31.18

54.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.57 R 25.36

-24.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.30 R 4.82

436.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.77 R 12.40

176.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$14.77 R 238

-42.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.50 R 24.11

-10.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$36.2K R 582.4K

-21.67%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$32.1K R 516.4K

11.33%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$158 R 2,539

-3.97%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$36.39 R 586

-64.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$38.16 R 615

-15.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$33.07 R 533

40.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.35 R 118

-12.52%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$253 R 4,073

230.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,658 R 91.1K

57.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$54.3 R 875

64.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$32.34 R 521

71.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$94.4 R 1,520

44.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$84.6 R 1,363

29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$407 R 6,549

134.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$375 R 6,039

78.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$770 R 12.4K

162.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$744 R 12.0K

54.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$883 R 14.2K

318.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$644 R 10.4K

146.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,761 R 28.4K

-64.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

10.91

-4.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $407 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 182% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Alexandra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $196 – 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,715 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $1,144 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $253 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 $1,144, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $1,144 versus $1,687 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.