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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $884 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,450 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,015 in Alexandria.

Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Alexandria 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.32 JMD 1,147

-18.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$61.7 JMD 9,669

-46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.78 JMD 1,376

-19.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.40 JMD 689

-61.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.36 JMD 213

-19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.72 JMD 112

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.43 JMD 380

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.05 JMD 478

0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.24 JMD 665

-74.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.62 JMD 568

-65.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.55 JMD 243

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.46 JMD 543

-36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.89 JMD 1,706

-59.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.30 JMD 988

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.49 JMD 1,174

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$6.05 JMD 948

-61.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$3.02 JMD 473

-64.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.15 JMD 650

-63.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.06 JMD 480

-54.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.10 JMD 329

-45.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.93 JMD 303

-39.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.11 JMD 488

-71.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.49 JMD 234

-43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$8.69 JMD 1,361

-73.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$11.55 JMD 1,809

-7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.85 JMD 447

-57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.05 JMD 478

-19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.12 JMD 175

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.20 JMD 501

-38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.11 JMD 957

26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.23 JMD 192

-22.76%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-58.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-19.76%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$161 JMD 25.3K

-48.98%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$22.32 JMD 3,497

-57.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$51.2 JMD 8,016

-52.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.40 JMD 2,100

-70.67%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$229 JMD 35.9K

35.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,485 JMD 389.3K

140.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$25.84 JMD 4,049

127.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$25.62 JMD 4,014

26.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$71.5 JMD 11.2K

43.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$76.2 JMD 11.9K

42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $62.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $350 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 and Alexandria differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $884 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,326 in Alexandria to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $229 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $884 in Alexandria versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.