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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $760 in Neiva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,125 in Neiva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,490 in Neiva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Neiva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Neiva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Neiva 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.88 COP 9,053

105.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$16.04 COP 50.5K

105.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.91 COP 24.9K

-6.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.31 COP 4,125

25.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.76 COP 2,390

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.49 COP 1,557

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.05 COP 3,315

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.23 COP 7,015

42.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.22 COP 3,845

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.70 COP 2,199

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.46 COP 1,438

200.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.59 COP 5,005

37.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.66 COP 14.7K

-3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.14 COP 16.2K

12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.47 COP 20.4K

38.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.42 COP 4,476

63.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.13 COP 3,567

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.36 COP 4,295

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.25 COP 3,939

8.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.17 COP 3,691

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.12 COP 3,523

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.73 COP 2,297

23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.46 COP 1,441

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.99 COP 6,255

12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$15.37 COP 48.4K

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.11 COP 3,509

7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.87 COP 5,884

32.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.72 COP 2,261

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$29.70 COP 93.5K

40.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.20 COP 3,778

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.47 COP 4,621

32.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.00 COP 18.9K

31.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.73 COP 2,310

35.62%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$15.8K COP 49.7M

11.46%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.8K COP 78.1M

8.03%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$73.5 COP 231.4K

12.94%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.21 COP 32.2K

-5.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$12.24 COP 38.5K

92.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.78 COP 74.9K

6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.60 COP 11.3K

9.72%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$298 COP 937.2K

6.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,355 COP 26.3M

-28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.9 COP 188.5K

0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$42.28 COP 133.1K

-24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$59.8 COP 188.3K

69.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$59.5 COP 187.3K

80.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$278 COP 874.2K

71.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$234 COP 737.5K

59.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$536 COP 1.7M

58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$429 COP 1.4M

67.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,837 COP 5.8M

77.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,605 COP 5.1M

-10.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$473 COP 1.5M

32.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Neiva: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $278 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 32% 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: $193 vs $166 – 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 32%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,141 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $760 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 $760, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.