Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medias Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,174 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,802 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,429 in Medias, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Medias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Medias is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$12.36 RON 56.6

-35.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$55.0 RON 252

-12.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.95 RON 36.43

24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.80 RON 17.40

-17.63%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.57 RON 11.77

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$2.36 RON 10.80

-36.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.26 RON 14.92

-4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.61 RON 16.52

59.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.31 RON 5.99

9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.52 RON 6.98

63.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.79 RON 8.20

-1.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.60 RON 16.50

-17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.20 RON 42.14

9.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.38 RON 33.83

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.33 RON 61.1

7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.56 RON 7.15

165.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.58 RON 7.22

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.67 RON 7.64

34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.85 RON 13.04

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.81 RON 3.72

151.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.89 RON 4.08

73.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.94 RON 4.29

24.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.85 RON 3.91

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.59 RON 30.18

-40.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.68 RON 35.18

82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.27 RON 5.82

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.00 RON 9.14

43.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.75 RON 3.45

62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$22.39 RON 103

259.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.67 RON 3.08

95.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.71 RON 3.24

208.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.95 RON 31.83

25.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.43 RON 6.55

-4.20%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$29.8K RON 136.3K

-6.48%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.0K RON 123.7K

32.51%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$189 RON 865

-6.06%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$8.31 RON 38.05

67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$9.69 RON 44.37

206.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$39.39 RON 180

13.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.47 RON 98.3

-20.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.77 RON 31.00

-1.77%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$464 RON 2,126

75.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,274 RON 33.3K

26.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$53.6 RON 246

66.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$36.85 RON 169

60.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$78.0 RON 357

77.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$95.1 RON 436

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$397 RON 1,817

167.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$295 RON 1,352

124.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$638 RON 2,921

196.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$471 RON 2,158

118.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,908 RON 8,741

119.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,377 RON 6,309

21.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.2

51.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $397 in Medias. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $236 in Medias – so Medias wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,762 in Medias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medias, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $55.0 in Medias. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,174 in Medias. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medias, where all-in costs run around $1,174, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Medias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medias – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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