Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and The Valley Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and The Valley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $588 in The Valley, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,265 in The Valley, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,941 in The Valley, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than The Valley, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and The Valley are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, The Valley 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$20.03 EC$54.1

-70.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$148 EC$399

-77.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.85 EC$26.59

-28.02%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.10 EC$13.76

-66.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$3.53 EC$9.53

-68.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$3.90 EC$10.54

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.95 EC$10.68

-57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.97 EC$13.41

-38.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.41 EC$3.82

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.23 EC$8.72

-60.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$21.83 EC$59.0

-79.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$12.19 EC$32.91

-53.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$20.67 EC$55.8

-48.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$25.50 EC$68.9

-94.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.86 EC$5.03

-48.92%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$45.59 EC$123

-43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for The Valley: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $148 in The Valley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $214 – 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 The Valley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $882 in The Valley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – 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 $148 in The Valley. 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 The Valley, where all-in costs run around $588, than in Medellin at $1,013. In The Valley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward The Valley – 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 The Valley. 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.