Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alzira

For one person, living is cheaper in Alzira: $1,598 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $490 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Alzira, Spain
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Alzira
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,598
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Alzira

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Alzira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,598 in Alzira.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Alzira $1,598

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $2,333 in Alzira.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Alzira $2,333

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,069 in Alzira.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Alzira $3,069

Living in Medellin is roughly 3% more expensive than in Alzira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Alzira 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$14.76 €13.26
-45.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$41.76 €37.51
12.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$10.02 €9.00
-5.19%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.18 €1.96
38.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$2.32 €2.08
-22.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$1.39 €1.25
1.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$2.73 €2.45
16.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$2.74 €2.46
109.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.16 €1.05
30.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.62 €1.45
46.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$1.62 €1.45
9.26%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$3.39 €3.05
-14.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$13.33 €11.97
-23.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$9.55 €8.58
3.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$17.65 €15.85
-20.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$2.67 €2.40
48.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.97 €1.77
-21.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$1.95 €1.75
11.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$2.69 €2.42
-18.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$1.92 €1.72
2.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.92 €1.72
-17.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.23 €1.10
-6.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.66 €0.59
87.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$6.40 €5.75
-38.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$5.77 €5.18
137.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.26 €1.13
31.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$2.09 €1.88
8.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$1.67 €1.50
-29.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$31.97 €28.72
142.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$3.01 €2.70
-57.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.38 €1.24
48.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$17.15 €15.40
-50.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.85 €1.67
-27.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$31.1K €28.0K
9.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$32.0K €28.7K
8.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$140 €126
20.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$18.70 €16.80
-27.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$29.41 €26.42
-4.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$45.03 €40.45
-2.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$15.51 €13.93
10.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$8.00 €7.19
-13.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$711 €639
12.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$9,454 €8,492
-3.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$84.5 €75.9
0.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$35.56 €31.94
62.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$93.5 €84.0
44.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$104 €93.1
-5.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$887 €797
36.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$669 €601
-4.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,352 €1,215
49.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$1,007 €905
0.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$3,274 €2,941
27.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,202 €1,978
-13.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Alzira
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,287 €1,156
-48.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.99
265.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Alzira: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Alzira
$669 4.3% $28
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Alzira
$279 5.9% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Alzira
$188 10.8% $23
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Alzira
$208 22.8% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Alzira
$143 15.5% $26
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Alzira
$49 48.1% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Alzira
$61 6.1% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $887 in Alzira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alzira pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $42 in Alzira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $279 per month, with Alzira cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Alzira
🕒 Local time
14:47 2:47 PM
20:47 8:47 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
46,421
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Alzira 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Alzira

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Alzira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Alzira?
Alzira wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Alzira the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Alzira?
On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Medellin. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Alzira?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $887 in Alzira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Alzira?
Dining out is cheaper in Alzira – a meal for two runs $42 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Alzira?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $1,598 in Alzira – Alzira is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Alzira?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Alzira is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Alzira?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Alzira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?