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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $236 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $363 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $489 in Altos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 325% more expensive than in Altos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.51 ₲3,027

115.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.59 ₲3,489

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.97 ₲5,760

42.27%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.96 ₲11.7K

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.94 ₲35.2K

-24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.59 ₲21.3K

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.63 ₲33.4K

59.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.36 ₲14.0K

-1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.33 ₲7,864

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.42 ₲8,427

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.79 ₲10.6K

-24.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.23 ₲7,279

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.61 ₲9,577

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.22 ₲7,217

-26.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.52 ₲3,062

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.87 ₲46.7K

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.68 ₲4,035

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.78 ₲4,639

217.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.39 ₲2,303

117.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$11.93 ₲70.8K

248.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.79 ₲4,688

79.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.67 ₲3,972

191.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.17 ₲6,949

-15.38%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.2K ₲113.8M

-8.27%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.3K ₲138.0M

15.22%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$34.36 ₲203.8K

141.59%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.83 ₲46.5K

23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$14.06 ₲83.4K

67.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.49 ₲20.7K

13.18%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$25.06 ₲148.7K

139.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,487 ₲8.8M

119.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$992 ₲5.9M

45.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$494 ₲2.9M

26.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Altos: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 27% 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 325% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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 30% 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 249% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $236 in Altos versus $1,003 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 325% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.