Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $717 in Alga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,158 in Alga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,599 in Alga.

Living in Medellin is roughly 41% more expensive than Alga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Alga 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$7.77 ₸3,776

-22.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$27.29 ₸13.3K

20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$6.67 ₸3,240

6.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$1.82 ₸886

-6.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.93 ₸452

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.52 ₸254

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$1.14 ₸556

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.88 ₸913

63.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$1.09 ₸531

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.41 ₸200

207.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.41 ₸687

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.52 ₸737

44.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$8.73 ₸4,239

-49.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$4.57 ₸2,222

23.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$7.27 ₸3,531

22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.33 ₸647

75.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.89 ₸918

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$1.93 ₸936

-22.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.91 ₸930

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.58 ₸282

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.40 ₸195

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.99 ₸480

-10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.73 ₸353

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.97 ₸958

15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$7.30 ₸3,548

45.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$0.92 ₸448

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$1.54 ₸748

60.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.19 ₸94.2

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.93 ₸453

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.63 ₸304

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$4.78 ₸2,321

61.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$0.47 ₸227

102.13%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$19.8K ₸9.6M

-8.23%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$24.5K ₸11.9M

8.13%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$51.0 ₸24.8K

61.40%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$8.50 ₸4,130

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$12.87 ₸6,250

88.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$32.57 ₸15.8K

-20.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$4.36 ₸2,118

-9.86%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$210 ₸102.1K

47.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$4,962 ₸2.4M

20.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$57.1 ₸27.7K

2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$34.88 ₸16.9K

-7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$89.3 ₸43.4K

14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$77.8 ₸37.8K

39.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$315 ₸152.8K

51.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$206 ₸100.2K

83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$516 ₸250.6K

62.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$383 ₸186.2K

88.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,012 ₸491.5K

175.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$819 ₸397.7K

47.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.39

-26.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $315 in Alga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Alga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $170 per month, with Alga 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 Alga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alga wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,076 in Alga 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $315 in Alga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $717 in Alga – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Alga versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alga but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Alga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alga hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.