Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beau Vallon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beau Vallon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,329 in Beau Vallon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,093 in Beau Vallon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,857 in Beau Vallon.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Beau Vallon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Beau Vallon 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$18.80 SCR 272

-68.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$69.4 SCR 1,005

-52.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$6.79 SCR 98.3

4.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$5.74 SCR 83.1

-70.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.57 SCR 22.72

-29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.08 SCR 15.67

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$9.76 SCR 141

-82.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.20 SCR 75.3

-40.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.58 SCR 37.37

-57.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.46 SCR 21.12

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$6.10 SCR 88.3

-7.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$5.96 SCR 86.2

49.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.96 SCR 28.32

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.06 SCR 29.81

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.98 SCR 28.65

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$9.92 SCR 144

-86.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.03 SCR 14.91

12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.06 SCR 29.79

-56.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$30.52 SCR 442

-92.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.91 SCR 13.21

-5.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,233 SCR 17.8K

-61.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$802 SCR 11.6K

-52.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,196 SCR 31.8K

-61.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,404 SCR 20.3K

-48.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,371 SCR 19.8K

103.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$694 SCR 10.0K

74.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,233 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $69.0 in Beau Vallon. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $179, with Beau Vallon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Beau Vallon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,994 in Beau Vallon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,233 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Beau Vallon pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $69.0 in Beau Vallon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,329 in Beau Vallon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Beau Vallon. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beau Vallon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Beau Vallon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Beau Vallon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.