Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Altos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Altos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $251 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $376 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $501 in Altos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 569% more expensive than in Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Altos is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.48 ₲2,824

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.89 ₲5,276

179.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.02 ₲6,040

73.53%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.97 ₲11.6K

50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.16 ₲36.4K

63.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.40 ₲20.1K

197.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.55 ₲32.8K

157.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.39 ₲14.1K

73.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.32 ₲7,772

21.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.38 ₲8,160

63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.83 ₲10.8K

22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.16 ₲6,840

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.39 ₲8,214

10.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 ₲7,175

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.87 ₲5,137

50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$0.90 ₲5,309

333.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.11 ₲47.9K

72.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.68 ₲4,034

155.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$0.83 ₲4,877

245.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.42 ₲2,467

190.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.82 ₲69.8K

580.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.69 ₲9,962

-22.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.68 ₲4,026

222.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.17 ₲6,885

17.09%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$19.1K ₲113.1M

45.38%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.9K ₲141.1M

49.73%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$35.67 ₲210.6K

397.06%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.99 ₲47.2K

73.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$13.78 ₲81.4K

115.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.52 ₲20.8K

88.92%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$25.13 ₲148.4K

256.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,503 ₲8.9M

178.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$997 ₲5.9M

67.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$497 ₲2.9M

36.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Altos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Altos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 569% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 581% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $251 in Altos versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Altos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 569% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.