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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,298 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,371 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,445 in High Level.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 55% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, High Level is 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$17.25 CA$24.18

-64.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$69.8 CA$97.9

-53.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.84 CA$15.20

-32.29%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.71 CA$5.21

-53.64%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.05 CA$2.87

-48.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.63 CA$2.29

-52.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$5.55 CA$7.78

-69.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.83 CA$8.18

-45.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.17 CA$3.05

-51.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.69 CA$3.78

-51.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.60 CA$5.05

-61.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.53 CA$4.94

-38.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.30 CA$15.85

-61.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.76 CA$16.48

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.59 CA$20.45

-40.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$4.09 CA$5.73

-44.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.38 CA$1.93

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.63 CA$5.09

-57.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.68 CA$5.16

-63.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.47 CA$3.46

-54.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.49 CA$3.49

-54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.54 CA$3.56

-66.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.70 CA$2.38

-46.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.01 CA$19.64

-83.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.79 CA$19.33

-10.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.91 CA$4.08

-58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.05 CA$4.28

-18.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$2.42 CA$3.39

-65.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$63.1 CA$88.5

-35.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.12 CA$4.38

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.47 CA$2.06

30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$26.17 CA$36.69

-70.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.17 CA$1.64

-15.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-29.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K CA$28.5K

30.88%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$143 CA$200

-43.37%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$43.91 CA$61.6

-77.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$63.7 CA$89.3

-62.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$42.43 CA$59.5

-40.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.54 CA$16.18

-65.51%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$731 CA$1,025

-58.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.9K CA$16.8K

-49.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$55.0 CA$77.1

5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.76 CA$55.8

-19.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.8 CA$123

14.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$106 CA$148

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,337 CA$1,874

-64.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,196 CA$1,677

-68.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,031 CA$2,848

-58.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,790 CA$2,510

-59.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,689 CA$5,171

-12.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,814 CA$5,347

-64.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for High Level: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,337 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $70.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $366 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 123% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $2,298 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $3,447 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,337 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $2,298 in High Level – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 56% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,298 in High Level, a $1,500 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 123% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.