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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $237 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $358 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $480 in Altos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 334% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.51 ₲3,107

105.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.61 ₲3,708

114.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.03 ₲6,243

30.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.88 ₲11.4K

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.97 ₲36.2K

-26.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.52 ₲21.3K

61.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.47 ₲33.2K

55.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.42 ₲14.7K

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.28 ₲7,778

-13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.42 ₲8,632

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.81 ₲11.0K

-24.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.17 ₲7,123

-1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.56 ₲9,494

-24.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.22 ₲7,425

-31.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.48 ₲2,942

79.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.85 ₲47.6K

47.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.67 ₲4,095

79.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$0.83 ₲5,029

198.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.39 ₲2,340

102.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$11.95 ₲72.5K

241.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.84 ₲5,118

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.72 ₲4,369

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.18 ₲7,174

-14.41%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$19.0K ₲115.6M

-7.29%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$23.9K ₲145.2M

10.56%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$35.26 ₲214.0K

130.01%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$8.23 ₲49.9K

14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$13.79 ₲83.7K

73.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.55 ₲21.6K

15.21%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$24.72 ₲150.0K

141.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,479 ₲9.0M

102.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$995 ₲6.0M

32.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$509 ₲3.1M

8.26%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Altos: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 8% 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 334% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 8% 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 29% 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 242% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $237 in Altos versus $1,028 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 334% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.