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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $239 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $358 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $477 in Altos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 333% more expensive than Altos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.49 ₲3,064

116.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.63 ₲3,932

98.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.02 ₲6,362

36.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.90 ₲11.9K

18.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.97 ₲37.4K

-27.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.44 ₲21.6K

69.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.60 ₲35.1K

57.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.42 ₲15.2K

-7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.32 ₲8,251

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.38 ₲8,659

10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.75 ₲11.0K

-21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.23 ₲7,690

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.62 ₲10.2K

-30.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.18 ₲7,417

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 ₲3,200

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.08 ₲50.6K

37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.72 ₲4,495

65.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.82 ₲5,149

189.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.41 ₲2,599

92.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$12.07 ₲75.6K

240.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.85 ₲5,296

69.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.73 ₲4,561

161.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.17 ₲7,351

-19.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.0K ₲119.2M

-5.79%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$23.1K ₲144.5M

16.13%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.51 ₲216.2K

143.29%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.90 ₲49.5K

21.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.95 ₲87.4K

73.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.56 ₲22.3K

10.11%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.16 ₲157.6K

130.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,521 ₲9.5M

92.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,004 ₲6.3M

40.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$494 ₲3.1M

10.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Altos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 10% 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 333% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 10% more on average, 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 28% 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 241% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $239 in Altos versus $1,034 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 333% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.