Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arlington, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arlington, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $3,527 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $5,438 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $7,348 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Medellin is about 51% cheaper than Arlington, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Arlington, VA sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Arlington, VA by 157%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$23.93 $23.93

-66.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$100.0 $100.0

-51.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$11.04 $11.04

-11.50%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$5.89 $5.89

-50.59%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$3.01 $3.01

-35.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$2.52 $2.52

-39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$7.89 $7.89

-60.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$8.79 $8.79

-34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.21 $1.21

12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$4.55 $4.55

-47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$5.29 $5.29

-67.86%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$5.28 $5.28

-45.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$21.35 $21.35

-53.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$15.57 $15.57

-30.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$23.09 $23.09

-36.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$5.55 $5.55

-26.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.87 $1.87

-16.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$4.56 $4.56

-53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$5.88 $5.88

-62.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$3.20 $3.20

-35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$3.73 $3.73

-59.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$2.28 $2.28

-47.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$2.45 $2.45

-52.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$10.65 $10.65

-63.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$17.06 $17.06

-15.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$2.78 $2.78

-43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.94 $2.94

-3.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$2.79 $2.79

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$122 $122

-36.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$4.08 $4.08

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.23 $1.23

69.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$24.72 $24.72

-65.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.94 $0.94

38.30%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$34.6K $34.6K

-20.17%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$24.7K $24.7K

43.93%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$161 $161

9.36%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$52.4 $52.4

-74.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$61.8 $61.8

-51.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$71.1 $71.1

-37.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$19.11 $19.11

-10.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$16.49 $16.49

-62.40%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$1,613 $1,613

-50.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$36.7K $36.7K

-75.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$56.0 $56.0

52.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$62.6 $62.6

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$104 $104

31.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$160 $160

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$2,456 $2,456

-56.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,997 $1,997

-65.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$4,777 $4,777

-57.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$3,604 $3,604

-67.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$6,153 $6,153

-33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$4,908 $4,908

-65.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$6,734 $6,734

-90.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.27

74.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arlington, VA: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $2,456 in Arlington, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 912% higher in Arlington, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $100 in Arlington, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $507 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arlington, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 106% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $5,291 in Arlington, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $100 in Arlington, VA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Arlington, VA at $3,527. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlington, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,716 versus $3,527 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.