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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,096 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,682 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,269 in Medias, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Medias 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.97 RON 54.9

-48.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$51.1 RON 235

-36.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.17 RON 37.49

-10.16%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.51 RON 16.13

-51.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.99 RON 9.13

-47.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.08 RON 9.53

-62.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.16 RON 14.51

-46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.51 RON 16.11

-9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 RON 6.51

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.30 RON 5.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.77 RON 8.12

-20.90%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.22 RON 14.77

-32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.89 RON 40.81

-50.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.88 RON 31.58

-14.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.86 RON 54.4

-27.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.19 RON 5.45

91.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 RON 7.19

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 RON 7.05

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.42 RON 11.09

-44.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.96 RON 4.41

17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.03 RON 4.74

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.93 RON 4.26

-8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.83 RON 3.82

9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.91 RON 27.14

-60.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.47 RON 34.30

65.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.10 RON 5.03

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.65 RON 7.58

50.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.67 RON 3.09

25.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$20.19 RON 92.7

100.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.77 RON 3.56

84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.77 RON 3.52

149.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.77 RON 31.08

13.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.53 RON 7.03

-35.29%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.2K RON 129.7K

-36.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.9K RON 128.1K

-4.61%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$166 RON 764

-51.43%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.18 RON 37.57

21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.18 RON 42.13

163.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$40.91 RON 188

-38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$19.10 RON 87.7

0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.86 RON 31.48

-41.98%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$456 RON 2,092

-33.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,640 RON 30.5K

-8.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$65.7 RON 301

-11.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.41 RON 199

-25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$96.8 RON 444

4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$100 RON 460

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$392 RON 1,802

21.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$294 RON 1,348

28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$594 RON 2,725

42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$438 RON 2,011

66.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,246 RON 10.3K

43.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,261 RON 5,787

8.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.7

74.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medias: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $392 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Medias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $220 – 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medias is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,644 in Medias. 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 $51.0 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,096 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Medias at $1,096. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medias it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.