Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Noord Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Noord

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,831 in Noord, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,105 in Noord, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,378 in Noord, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Noord, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Noord sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Noord by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$23.38 AWG 41.91

-65.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$87.0 AWG 156

-44.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.94 AWG 5.26

-35.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.96 AWG 3.52

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$8.69 AWG 15.58

-64.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$9.26 AWG 16.59

-37.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.91 AWG 3.43

-24.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.98 AWG 5.35

-16.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.84 AWG 5.09

-37.68%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$6.32 AWG 11.32

-53.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$12.43 AWG 22.28

-18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$9.36 AWG 16.78

8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$12.03 AWG 21.56

18.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$4.76 AWG 8.53

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.31 AWG 4.14

-30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.05 AWG 9.05

-55.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.56 AWG 6.38

-36.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.25 AWG 4.04

-9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.02 AWG 3.63

-23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.63 AWG 4.72

-55.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.56 AWG 2.81

-16.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$10.11 AWG 18.11

-61.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$10.19 AWG 18.26

37.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$5.82 AWG 10.44

-70.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$4.35 AWG 7.80

-34.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$2.73 AWG 4.90

-49.82%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,490 AWG 2,671

-28.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,192 AWG 2,137

-44.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,848 AWG 5,105

-33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,508 AWG 4,496

-59.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Noord: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,490 in Noord. 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 $87.0 in Noord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $380 – 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 Noord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Noord is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,747 in Noord. 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.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Noord, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $87.0 in Noord. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Noord at $1,831. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noord 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, Noord makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.