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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $700 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,148 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,597 in El Viejo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, El Viejo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.97 NIO 183

19.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.56 NIO 1,307

-7.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.10 NIO 261

1.41%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.43 NIO 89.4

-30.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.84 NIO 30.75

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.74 NIO 27.26

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.33 NIO 49.01

25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.06 NIO 75.6

50.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.26 NIO 46.42

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.46 NIO 90.4

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.80 NIO 66.1

-22.78%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.24 NIO 82.5

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.39 NIO 419

-61.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.54 NIO 240

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.95 NIO 292

11.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.01 NIO 147

-44.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.89 NIO 32.76

21.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.78 NIO 65.6

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.25 NIO 82.8

-39.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.99 NIO 147

-71.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.20 NIO 80.8

-49.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.06 NIO 39.15

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.01 NIO 36.95

-9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.72 NIO 100

-14.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$14.78 NIO 543

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.42 NIO 52.0

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.24 NIO 82.2

5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.48 NIO 54.4

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.89 NIO 253

16.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.36 NIO 49.94

-30.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.9K NIO 842.5K

-21.80%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.8K NIO 986.2K

-0.14%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$99.6 NIO 3,660

-15.69%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.05 NIO 627

-43.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.08 NIO 1,363

-34.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.14 NIO 299

-51.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$122 NIO 4,502

150.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,932 NIO 218.1K

-0.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$76.7 NIO 2,819

-24.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$72.3 NIO 2,656

-55.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$133 NIO 4,881

-24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$106 NIO 3,897

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in El Viejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $262 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,050 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 $306 in Medellin versus $122 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 $36.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $700 in El Viejo versus $1,034 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 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.