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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $726 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,160 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,594 in El Viejo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in El Viejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, El Viejo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.02 NIO 184

17.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$35.48 NIO 1,300

-7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.11 NIO 260

4.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.39 NIO 87.4

-30.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.83 NIO 30.51

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.74 NIO 27.27

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.33 NIO 48.84

29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.95 NIO 71.4

63.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.27 NIO 46.55

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.48 NIO 90.8

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.81 NIO 66.1

-23.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.23 NIO 81.8

-2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.27 NIO 413

-60.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.81 NIO 249

-14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.88 NIO 288

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.84 NIO 141

-39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.84 NIO 30.92

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.75 NIO 64.1

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.22 NIO 81.2

-38.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$3.92 NIO 144

-71.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.20 NIO 80.5

-46.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.02 NIO 37.32

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.06 NIO 38.72

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.62 NIO 95.9

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$14.56 NIO 533

-16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.47 NIO 53.8

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.25 NIO 82.5

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.46 NIO 53.6

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.87 NIO 252

14.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.29 NIO 47.41

-23.26%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$23.2K NIO 850.4K

-24.19%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$26.4K NIO 967.2K

1.48%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$97.5 NIO 3,570

-14.84%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$16.96 NIO 621

-42.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$37.93 NIO 1,389

-37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$7.81 NIO 286

-49.42%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$126 NIO 4,615

150.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,073 NIO 222.4K

-1.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$76.3 NIO 2,793

-21.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$73.4 NIO 2,690

-56.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$133 NIO 4,861

-23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$108 NIO 3,937

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: July 26, 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 $193 vs $261 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,088 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 $316 in Medellin versus $126 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 $726 in El Viejo versus $1,003 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.