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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $3,168 in Ashburn, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $4,303 in Ashburn, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $5,438 in Ashburn, VA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Ashburn, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Ashburn, VA 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$19.01 $19.01

-57.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$90.2 $90.2

-46.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$13.24 $13.24

-28.85%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.96 $5.96

-50.67%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.79 $2.79

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.66 $2.66

-45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$4.87 $4.87

-34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$8.71 $8.71

-34.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.17 $1.17

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$4.23 $4.23

-43.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.75 $2.75

-38.18%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.36 $5.36

-46.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$17.04 $17.04

-40.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$15.46 $15.46

-35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$19.20 $19.20

-26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.48 $5.48

-27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.22 $2.22

-28.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$6.43 $6.43

-66.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.40 $5.40

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.10 $3.10

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$3.81 $3.81

-60.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.08 $2.08

-42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.80 $2.80

-54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$10.09 $10.09

-61.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.88 $14.88

-5.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.68 $1.68

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.77 $4.77

-42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.30 $2.30

-45.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$73.0 $73.0

6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.92 $2.92

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.41 $1.41

53.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$22.22 $22.22

-62.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.93 $0.93

46.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.21%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$25.5K $25.5K

43.53%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$97.2 $97.2

73.62%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$49.54 $49.54

-72.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$73.5 $73.5

-61.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$61.1 $61.1

-25.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$11.78 $11.78

46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$16.95 $16.95

-60.77%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,604 $1,604

-49.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$32.2K $32.2K

-71.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$46.39 $46.39

88.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$37.04 $37.04

60.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$98.0 $98.0

41.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$105 $105

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$2,022 $2,022

-47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,770 $1,770

-63.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$4,186 $4,186

-54.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,234 $2,234

-53.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,022 $3,022

36.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$3,086 $3,086

-44.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$7,719 $7,719

-91.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.34

72.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ashburn, VA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $2,022 in Ashburn, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 1078% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $90.0 in Ashburn, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $472 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Ashburn, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ashburn, VA differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $3,168 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1078% lower in Ashburn, VA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $2,022 in Ashburn, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $1,604 in Ashburn, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Ashburn, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $3,168 in Ashburn, VA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ashburn, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.