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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,235 in Noord, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,096 in Noord, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,958 in Noord, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than Noord, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Noord are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Noord 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$13.66 AWG 24.45

-56.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$65.5 AWG 117

-49.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.81 AWG 17.56

-26.30%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.05 AWG 9.04

-67.72%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.98 AWG 1.75

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.49 AWG 2.67

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.29 AWG 9.46

-67.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.77 AWG 12.11

-52.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.23 AWG 18.31

7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.94 AWG 5.27

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.98 AWG 10.70

-76.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$6.06 AWG 10.85

-68.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$49.78 AWG 89.1

-84.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.47 AWG 2.63

-31.29%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$153 AWG 274

-45.27%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$100 AWG 179

-75.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$49.11 AWG 87.9

-48.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.80 AWG 13.97

-47.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$809 AWG 1,449

-40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$610 AWG 1,092

-37.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,758 AWG 3,146

-52.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,602 AWG 2,868

-54.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Noord: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $809 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Noord. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Noord – so Noord wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,853 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 827% cheaper in Noord – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $65.0 in Noord. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Noord at $1,235. 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.