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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,004 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,566 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,128 in Alexandra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Alexandra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Alexandra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Alexandra 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.65 R 145

-31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$33.67 R 565

-2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.89 R 82.0

47.24%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.13 R 35.64

-20.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.98 R 16.51

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.81 R 13.62

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.20 R 36.98

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.58 R 43.24

20.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.16 R 19.40

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.07 R 17.89

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.62 R 27.19

-14.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.39 R 40.02

-5.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.90 R 133

-45.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.69 R 78.6

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.58 R 110

34.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.62 R 27.18

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.48 R 24.83

-27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.48 R 24.74

3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.68 R 28.10

-18.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.31 R 21.94

-13.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.18 R 19.75

-5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.05 R 17.69

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.90 R 15.11

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.88 R 48.30

-19.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.21 R 87.4

113.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.32 R 22.07

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.65 R 27.64

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.67 R 28.04

-52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.14 R 19.15

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.95 R 16.00

101.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.16 R 52.9

153.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.24 R 20.79

-24.19%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.3K R 324.0K

-7.23%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$23.6K R 395.5K

13.60%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$117 R 1,966

-28.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$37.94 R 636

-74.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.95 R 636

-36.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$30.94 R 519

-16.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.45 R 125

-47.38%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$196 R 3,280

56.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,290 R 71.9K

37.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.79 R 835

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$32.67 R 548

-2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$88.5 R 1,485

12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.7 R 1,337

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$362 R 6,069

34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$335 R 5,612

9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$681 R 11.4K

21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$678 R 11.4K

5.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$828 R 13.9K

253.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$646 R 10.8K

117.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,731 R 29.0K

-68.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $362 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 217% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Alexandra. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $178 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

Medellin costs about 3% more than Alexandra, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,506 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,004 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $196 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 $1,004, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $1,004 versus $1,034 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.