Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novelda

For one person, living is cheaper in Novelda: $1,617 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Novelda, Spain
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Novelda
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,617
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Novelda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Novelda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,617 in Novelda, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Novelda $1,617

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $2,423 in Novelda, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Novelda $2,423

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $3,228 in Novelda, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Novelda $3,228

Medellin costs about 5% more than Novelda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Medellin and Novelda sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Novelda by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$16.85 €15.00
-50.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$56.6 €50.3
-17.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$11.23 €10.00
-15.67%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.25 €2.00
39.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,696
$2.05 €1.83
-13.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,594
$1.39 €1.23
2.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$3.03 €2.69
3.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$3.40 €3.02
67.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,943
$1.15 €1.02
33.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,389
$1.39 €1.24
64.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,273
$1.54 €1.37
25.97%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,889
$3.34 €2.97
-8.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$15.40 €13.70
-35.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$9.38 €8.35
11.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$16.83 €14.97
-17.05%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$2.77 €2.46
46.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,929
$1.81 €1.61
-15.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,786
$1.60 €1.42
31.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$2.76 €2.46
-17.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,803
$1.92 €1.71
9.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,512
$1.88 €1.67
-9.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,774
$1.18 €1.05
-0.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,096
$0.66 €0.59
139.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$6.52 €5.80
-40.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$5.72 €5.09
145.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,682
$1.16 €1.03
51.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,746
$1.70 €1.51
59.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,805
$1.51 €1.34
-21.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.0K
$29.81 €26.53
155.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,827
$2.39 €2.12
-24.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$1.31 €1.16
62.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$25.34 €22.55
-67.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,113
$1.83 €1.63
-30.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$31.7K €28.2K
8.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$31.4K €27.9K
8.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.2K
$130 €115
37.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$15.83 €14.09
-12.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.1K
$29.50 €26.26
4.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.3K
$45.45 €40.44
-7.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
$16.79 €14.95
0.06%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$8.20 €7.30
-8.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$396 €352
99.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$11.0K €9,758
12.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.4K
$71.6 €63.7
20.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.1K
$35.19 €31.32
68.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.2K
$103 €91.3
34.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.7K
$106 €93.9
-6.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$921 €820
45.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$686 €611
-2.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,324 €1,178
49.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,076 €957
-3.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$3,364 €2,994
21.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,266 €2,016
-14.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Novelda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.99
265.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Novelda: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Novelda
$686 2.8% $19
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Novelda
$276 10.2% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Novelda
$175 21.3% $47
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Novelda
$231 33.9% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Novelda
$142 17.7% $31
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Novelda
$45 52.1% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Novelda
$62 8.7% $5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $921 in Novelda. 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 $47 in Medellin versus $57 in Novelda. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Medellin vs $276 in Novelda – so Novelda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Novelda
🕒 Local time
00:33 12:33 AM
06:33 6:33 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
25,771
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Novelda 8,250 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Novelda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Novelda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Novelda cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $2,425 in Novelda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Novelda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $921 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Novelda?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $57 in Novelda. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Novelda?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $1,617 in Novelda. That makes Novelda about 4% cheaper.
Is $3,000 enough for either Medellin or Novelda?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $1,617 in Novelda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Medellin or Novelda more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Novelda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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