Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Highland, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Highland, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $2,568 in Highland, CA, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $3,771 in Highland, CA, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $4,974 in Highland, CA, rent included.

Medellin is about 60% cheaper than Highland, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Highland, CA is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$17.89 $17.89

-66.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$79.2 $79.2

-58.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$11.76 $11.76

-36.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$5.07 $5.07

-67.46%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$2.68 $2.68

-60.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$2.04 $2.04

-62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$6.87 $6.87

-74.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.11 $7.11

-54.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.11 $1.11

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$3.92 $3.92

-66.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$4.05 $4.05

-66.91%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$3.88 $3.88

-43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$10.51 $10.51

-58.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$8.70 $8.70

-34.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$14.75 $14.75

-42.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.53 $3.53

-33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.73 $1.73

-35.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$3.98 $3.98

-61.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$5.54 $5.54

-75.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$3.16 $3.16

-63.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$2.82 $2.82

-58.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.46 $1.46

-42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$2.19 $2.19

-60.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$11.17 $11.17

-79.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$15.83 $15.83

-26.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.99 $1.99

-39.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.60 $3.60

-31.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$1.99 $1.99

-60.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$30.10 $30.10

35.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$6.53 $6.53

-77.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.65 $1.65

16.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$29.35 $29.35

-73.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.29 $1.29

-21.71%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$23.5K $23.5K

-24.95%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$24.1K $24.1K

9.68%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$161 $161

-49.47%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$47.39 $47.39

-80.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$61.4 $61.4

-61.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$42.38 $42.38

-38.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$13.85 $13.85

-70.47%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$1,209 $1,209

-73.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$23.4K $23.4K

-74.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$48.03 $48.03

24.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$33.58 $33.58

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$86.3 $86.3

17.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$83.8 $83.8

25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,605 $1,605

-69.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,376 $1,376

-73.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,667 $2,667

-69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$2,205 $2,205

-66.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,318 $2,318

29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,228 $2,228

-41.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.58

104.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Highland, CA: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,605 in Highland, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $79.0 in Highland, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $369 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Highland, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,028 in Medellin, $2,568 in Highland, CA – roughly 150% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $3,852 in Highland, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $79.0 in Highland, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $2,568 in Highland, CA. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Highland, CA at $2,568. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,028 in Medellin to $2,568 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.