Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Neiva Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Neiva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Neiva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,128 in Neiva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,524 in Neiva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Neiva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Neiva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Neiva 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.87 COP 10.4K

106.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$15.86 COP 57.3K

106.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.91 COP 28.6K

-8.98%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.34 COP 4,855

26.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 COP 2,752

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.50 COP 1,801

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.05 COP 3,786

59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.21 COP 7,978

40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.18 COP 4,242

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.71 COP 2,573

76.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.43 COP 1,545

223.26%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.56 COP 5,624

44.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.78 COP 17.3K

-9.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.96 COP 17.9K

17.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.72 COP 24.3K

31.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.47 COP 5,306

52.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.14 COP 4,118

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.30 COP 4,683

17.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.24 COP 4,486

10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.11 COP 4,014

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.13 COP 4,062

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.71 COP 2,578

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.47 COP 1,689

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.98 COP 7,152

17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.87 COP 50.1K

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.12 COP 4,038

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.91 COP 6,885

24.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.67 COP 2,403

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$29.71 COP 107.3K

38.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.23 COP 4,427

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.47 COP 5,291

29.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.98 COP 21.6K

34.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.79 COP 2,858

18.99%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$16.0K COP 57.8M

11.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.6K COP 88.8M

8.88%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$72.3 COP 261.0K

16.14%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.11 COP 36.5K

-5.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.91 COP 43.0K

102.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.36 COP 84.3K

10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.58 COP 12.9K

9.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$297 COP 1.1M

3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,510 COP 30.7M

-30.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.0 COP 213.1K

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.64 COP 153.9K

-25.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.3 COP 221.3K

62.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$61.0 COP 220.2K

75.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$286 COP 1.0M

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$237 COP 856.7K

55.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$528 COP 1.9M

56.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$428 COP 1.5M

67.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,740 COP 6.3M

68.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,429 COP 5.2M

-1.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$415 COP 1.5M

31.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Neiva: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $286 in Neiva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Neiva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $163 – making Neiva 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 Neiva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,099 in Neiva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Neiva, 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 $16.00 in Neiva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $732 in Neiva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Neiva, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Neiva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Neiva. 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.