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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $727 in Alga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,164 in Alga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,601 in Alga.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than in Alga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Alga 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 19.8K

$7.99 ₸3,749

-22.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 104.8K

$27.47 ₸12.9K

18.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.6K

$6.56 ₸3,076

11.89%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,527

$1.88 ₸883

-8.51%

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

$1.05 COP 3,376

$0.97 ₸455

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,482

$0.52 ₸242

48.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,417

$1.14 ₸535

48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$1.83 ₸860

73.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,379

$1.08 ₸508

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,181

$0.41 ₸193

217.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,485

$1.43 ₸670

-2.10%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 6,956

$1.55 ₸727

39.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.1K

$8.56 ₸4,014

-48.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.9K

$4.70 ₸2,205

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$6.92 ₸3,247

24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,330

$1.36 ₸636

67.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,557

$1.92 ₸899

-42.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,918

$1.91 ₸896

-19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,353

$1.91 ₸894

-29.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,627

$0.56 ₸261

101.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,644

$0.37 ₸174

205.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,717

$0.95 ₸445

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,937

$0.75 ₸352

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,531

$1.98 ₸931

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 39.7K

$7.27 ₸3,410

70.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,859

$0.92 ₸430

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,000

$1.52 ₸712

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,692

$0.19 ₸87.2

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,563

$1.00 ₸468

42.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,155

$0.66 ₸311

190.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.6K

$4.83 ₸2,266

58.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,181

$0.47 ₸220

110.64%

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

$18.0K COP 57.9M

$20.5K ₸9.6M

-12.02%

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

$26.6K COP 85.6M

$24.8K ₸11.6M

7.50%

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

$80.8 COP 259.7K

$50.9 ₸23.9K

58.73%

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

$9.95 COP 32.0K

$8.99 ₸4,215

10.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 77.7K

$12.96 ₸6,077

86.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 80.6K

$33.21 ₸15.6K

-24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.8K

$4.52 ₸2,121

-11.95%

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

$305 COP 980.7K

$215 ₸100.8K

41.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.5M

$4,843 ₸2.3M

25.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 186.8K

$56.3 ₸26.4K

3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 103.5K

$35.22 ₸16.5K

-8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.7K

$88.8 ₸41.6K

13.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 346.3K

$78.0 ₸36.6K

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$316 ₸148.3K

50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$205 ₸96.3K

83.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$524 ₸245.8K

61.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.3M

$386 ₸181.2K

89.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.3M

$1,048 ₸491.7K

206.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.4M

$875 ₸410.5K

56.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alga: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $316 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 $193 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 42% 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 $1,546 in Medellin and $1,091 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: $477 in Medellin versus $316 in Alga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $727 in Alga – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $727 in Alga versus $1,031 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 $727 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.