Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Viejo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Viejo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $717 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,152 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,588 in El Viejo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, El Viejo 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.02 NIO 184

18.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$34.76 NIO 1,273

-4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.88 NIO 252

5.09%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.43 NIO 89.1

-32.92%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.80 NIO 29.35

36.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.73 NIO 26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.29 NIO 47.28

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.97 NIO 72.3

63.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.22 NIO 44.68

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.48 NIO 90.8

-47.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.82 NIO 66.7

-27.47%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.24 NIO 81.9

1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.03 NIO 404

-60.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.49 NIO 238

-9.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.02 NIO 294

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.94 NIO 144

-42.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.84 NIO 30.69

27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.82 NIO 66.6

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.29 NIO 83.8

-37.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.83 NIO 140

-69.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 NIO 38.86

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.02 NIO 37.26

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.63 NIO 96.5

-14.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$14.79 NIO 542

-25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.39 NIO 51.1

-17.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.24 NIO 82.1

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.52 NIO 55.7

-7.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.76 NIO 248

14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.30 NIO 47.76

-22.31%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.8K NIO 836.0K

-22.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.9K NIO 949.7K

2.18%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$97.2 NIO 3,558

-13.87%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.79 NIO 615

-43.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$37.30 NIO 1,366

-35.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.08 NIO 296

-49.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$124 NIO 4,551

151.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,090 NIO 223.1K

-1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$76.5 NIO 2,800

-24.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$72.9 NIO 2,669

-55.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$131 NIO 4,809

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$109 NIO 4,005

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.25

31.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in El Viejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $260 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 El Viejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,075 in El Viejo 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.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $124 in El Viejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in El Viejo versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Viejo 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and El Viejo 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 El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.