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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,380 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,924 in Alexandria.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Alexandria 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.29 RON 42.66

-33.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.04 RON 156

-4.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.11 RON 32.63

3.23%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.88 RON 8.65

-8.51%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.99 RON 9.12

-47.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.64 RON 7.54

-53.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.36 RON 10.82

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.73 RON 12.53

16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 RON 6.50

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.26 RON 5.77

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.35 RON 6.19

3.70%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.36 RON 6.27

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.22 RON 23.95

-15.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.65 RON 21.34

26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.97 RON 41.18

-3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.94 RON 4.32

142.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.52 RON 6.95

-26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.18 RON 5.43

29.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.13 RON 5.18

19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.44 RON 2.04

156.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.67 RON 3.07

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.44 RON 2.02

93.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.72 RON 3.32

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.50 RON 25.24

-57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.41 RON 24.85

128.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.67 RON 3.06

79.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.95 RON 4.35

162.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.71 RON 3.28

18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$23.48 RON 108

72.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.48 RON 2.20

195.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.44 RON 2.01

336.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.99 RON 22.89

53.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.59 RON 7.32

-37.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.1K RON 82.9K

-0.21%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.0K RON 110.4K

10.73%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$118 RON 540

-31.37%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.11 RON 32.62

39.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$6.89 RON 31.62

250.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.29 RON 176

-34.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.04 RON 41.48

111.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.74 RON 21.76

-16.03%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$431 RON 1,980

-29.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,025 RON 32.2K

-13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.6 RON 320

-16.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.98 RON 161

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$68.4 RON 314

47.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.4 RON 318

55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$342 RON 1,571

39.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$231 RON 1,059

63.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$798 RON 3,662

5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$571 RON 2,620

27.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,329 RON 6,099

142.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$811 RON 3,725

69.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$861 RON 3,955

-28.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $342 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in Alexandria. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $157, with Alexandria cheaper for home cooking.

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

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Alexandria. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $342 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $836 in Alexandria – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 73% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 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 work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.