Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Envigado

For one person, living is cheaper in Envigado: $1,406 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Envigado, Colombia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Envigado
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,406
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Envigado

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Envigado actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $1,406 in Envigado.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Envigado $1,406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $2,123 in Envigado.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Envigado $2,123

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $2,841 in Envigado.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Envigado $2,841

Living in Medellin is roughly 20% more expensive than in Envigado, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Envigado 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$7.98 COP 25.8K
4.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.3K
$46.17 COP 149.1K
0.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$9.27 COP 30.0K
2.16%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.59 COP 8,350
20.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,705
$1.38 COP 4,449
28.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,601
$1.01 COP 3,258
40.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$3.08 COP 9,943
2.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$3.78 COP 12.2K
50.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,950
$1.37 COP 4,410
11.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,401
$2.30 COP 7,419
-0.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,282
$1.57 COP 5,084
23.57%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,905
$3.10 COP 10.0K
-0.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$7.21 COP 23.3K
38.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$9.76 COP 31.5K
7.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$13.94 COP 45.0K
0.14%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.71 COP 12.0K
9.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,937
$1.24 COP 4,005
23.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,797
$2.14 COP 6,904
-1.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,409
$1.70 COP 5,477
34.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,813
$1.55 COP 5,012
36.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,521
$1.36 COP 4,386
25.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,780
$1.21 COP 3,903
-3.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,104
$1.19 COP 3,845
32.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$4.43 COP 14.3K
-11.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.4K
$14.96 COP 48.3K
-6.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,690
$1.43 COP 4,631
23.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,760
$2.70 COP 8,731
0.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,811
$1.12 COP 3,620
5.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.4K
$75.0 COP 242.2K
1.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,836
$1.81 COP 5,835
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,878
$2.34 COP 7,558
-8.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$8.72 COP 28.2K
-6.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,119
$1.32 COP 4,268
-3.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$33.9K COP 109.6M
1.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.3M
$34.4K COP 111.0M
-0.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 574.1K
$144 COP 466.1K
23.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.9K
$13.55 COP 43.8K
2.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.3K
$27.54 COP 89.0K
11.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.5K
$35.18 COP 113.6K
19.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$7.11 COP 23.0K
5.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$522 COP 1.7M
51.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$11.9K COP 38.5M
3.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.9K
$87.0 COP 281.0K
-0.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.4K
$56.4 COP 182.2K
5.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.9K
$156 COP 503.9K
-11.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.2K
$86.0 COP 277.8K
14.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$733 COP 2.4M
83.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$470 COP 1.5M
42.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,508 COP 4.9M
31.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$792 COP 2.6M
30.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$2,490 COP 8.0M
64.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$1,879 COP 6.1M
3.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Envigado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
12
-8.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Envigado: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Envigado
$470 29.6% $198
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Envigado
$280 9.1% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Envigado
$185 16.6% $37
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Envigado
$155 10.1% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Envigado
$173 0.7% $1.2
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Envigado
$93 0.5% $0.5
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Envigado
$49 13.2% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $733 in Envigado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $46 in Envigado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $280 per month, with Envigado cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇴 Envigado
🕒 Local time
21:26 9:26 PM
21:26 9:26 PM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
204,399
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,626 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Envigado 11 km
From you
  • Medellin
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Envigado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Envigado?
Envigado wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Envigado the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Envigado?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $2,108 in Envigado 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Envigado?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $733 in Envigado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Envigado?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $1,406 in Envigado – Envigado is about 17% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Envigado?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Envigado?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Envigado is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Envigado 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.

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