Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $434 in Alexandria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Alexandria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Alexandria, rent included.

Medellin costs about 134% more than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Alexandria are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Alexandria 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.49 E£181

71.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$15.53 E£806

111.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.59 E£238

54.47%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.45 E£75.5

17.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.31 E£16.09

254.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.13 E£6.55

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.20 E£62.4

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.92 E£151

5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.81 E£42.22

34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.78 E£40.30

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.65 E£33.62

112.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.40 E£72.5

56.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.86 E£200

13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.53 E£235

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.64 E£501

-7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.48 E£77.0

58.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.59 E£30.40

79.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.39 E£20.39

284.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.40 E£20.58

245.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.38 E£19.53

202.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.41 E£21.23

182.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.24 E£12.52

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.19 E£9.68

342.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.04 E£106

11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.75 E£298

85.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.36 E£70.8

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.58 E£134

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.17 E£8.89

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$13.79 E£716

200.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.52 E£27.05

182.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.43 E£22.26

355.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.95 E£101

296.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.33 E£17.20

187.88%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$34.9K E£1.8M

-48.03%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.0K E£1.7M

-19.73%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$11.47 E£595

617.09%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.74 E£298

65.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$10.18 E£528

138.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$13.30 E£690

94.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$6.89 E£357

175.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.01 E£156

30.56%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$88.9 E£4,616

247.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,842 E£95.6K

223.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$27.19 E£1,411

115.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$48.04 E£2,493

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$109 E£5,671

-6.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$51.0 E£2,648

112.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$106 E£5,487

350.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$65.6 E£3,406

477.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$245 E£12.7K

242.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$134 E£6,931

442.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$698 E£36.2K

299.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$449 E£23.3K

169.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$135 E£7,008

278.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-21.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $106 in Alexandria. 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 279% higher in Medellin, 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 $16.00 in Alexandria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $130 – making Alexandria 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 Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 134% more than Alexandria, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $650 in Alexandria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $88.9 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandria, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Alexandria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandria costs $434 versus $1,013 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 Alexandria. 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.