Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,275 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $3,297 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $4,318 in High Level.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 28% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, High Level 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$16.86 CA$23.38

-52.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$60.0 CA$83.2

-19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.19 CA$15.52

-15.82%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.31 CA$4.60

-11.18%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.03 CA$2.81

-8.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.68 CA$2.33

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.94 CA$8.23

-45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.04 CA$6.99

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.96 CA$2.72

-26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.83 CA$3.93

-15.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.33 CA$4.62

-48.95%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.09 CA$4.28

-6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.17 CA$12.72

9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$13.08 CA$18.14

-23.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.79 CA$20.51

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.41 CA$6.11

-9.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.17 CA$1.63

35.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.62 CA$5.02

-40.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.39 CA$6.09

-47.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.29 CA$3.17

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.50 CA$3.47

-39.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.60 CA$3.60

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.58 CA$2.19

-18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$13.74 CA$19.05

-72.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.14 CA$15.45

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.78 CA$3.86

-38.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.91 CA$4.04

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.17 CA$3.01

-42.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$55.6 CA$77.1

40.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.66 CA$3.69

-50.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.42 CA$1.97

52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$27.06 CA$37.53

-69.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.15 CA$1.59

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$29.4K CA$40.7K

-6.47%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$19.1K CA$26.5K

91.33%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$139 CA$192

21.60%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$33.52 CA$46.49

-59.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.8 CA$73.3

-46.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$42.19 CA$58.5

8.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$20.93 CA$29.03

-17.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$12.23 CA$16.96

-45.63%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$887 CA$1,230

-9.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$12.6K CA$17.5K

-27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$56.9 CA$78.9

53.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$43.52 CA$60.4

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$73.9 CA$103

87.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$105 CA$146

-3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,276 CA$1,770

-16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,281 CA$1,777

-49.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,717 CA$2,382

12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,568 CA$2,175

-33.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,084 CA$5,665

0.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$4,144 CA$5,748

-59.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.68

133.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $1,276 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $60.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $360 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and High Level differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $2,275 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $3,413 in High Level 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,276 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $2,275 in High Level – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 40% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,275 in High Level, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in High Level. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and High Level 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 39% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.