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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,105 in Medias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Medias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,280 in Medias, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Medias 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.24 RON 55.3

-51.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$51.2 RON 231

-35.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.08 RON 36.55

-12.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.60 RON 16.26

-52.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.98 RON 8.97

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.07 RON 9.35

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.20 RON 14.46

-47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.37 RON 15.24

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.34 RON 6.07

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.28 RON 5.80

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.75 RON 7.91

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.38 RON 15.28

-35.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.48 RON 38.35

-48.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.02 RON 31.72

-19.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.01 RON 54.3

-25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.17 RON 5.29

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.58 RON 7.14

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.59 RON 7.19

-5.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.44 RON 11.01

-43.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.96 RON 4.33

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.08 RON 4.86

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.96 RON 4.32

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.77 RON 3.50

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.86 RON 26.49

-61.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.89 RON 40.20

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.10 RON 4.97

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.71 RON 7.73

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.66 RON 2.97

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$19.56 RON 88.4

111.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.77 RON 3.50

90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.75 RON 3.39

161.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.05 RON 31.85

9.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.48 RON 6.68

-35.81%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.0K RON 126.7K

-35.31%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.7K RON 125.3K

-4.45%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$166 RON 750

-50.45%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.94 RON 35.89

19.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$8.81 RON 39.82

175.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$42.27 RON 191

-38.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$18.88 RON 85.3

0.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.97 RON 31.51

-43.62%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$441 RON 1,992

-29.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,656 RON 30.1K

-10.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$67.5 RON 305

-13.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$43.33 RON 196

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$97.0 RON 438

5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$97.2 RON 439

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$396 RON 1,789

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$290 RON 1,312

30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$599 RON 2,707

39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$436 RON 1,972

65.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,631 RON 7,374

71.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,484 RON 6,710

-18.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medias: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $396 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: $188 vs $222 – 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 9%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,658 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,105 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 $1,013, than in Medias at $1,105. 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.