Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toa Alta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toa Alta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,272 in Toa Alta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,943 in Toa Alta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,614 in Toa Alta, rent included.

Medellin is about 20% cheaper than Toa Alta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Toa Alta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Toa Alta 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.80 $12.80

-53.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$81.9 $81.9

-59.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.89 $9.89

-28.31%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.55 $3.55

-51.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.59 $1.59

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.39 $1.39

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.02 $3.02

-44.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.60 $4.60

-33.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.48 $2.48

-56.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.56 $3.56

-64.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.25 $2.25

-38.67%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.21 $5.21

-57.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.14 $5.14

-14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.40 $8.40

-32.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.64 $6.64

33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$5.98 $5.98

-60.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.61 $2.61

-59.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.92 $3.92

-61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.11 $4.11

-66.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.88 $3.88

-70.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.03 $3.03

-61.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.02 $3.02

-70.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.91 $1.91

-56.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$11.86 $11.86

-80.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.97 $14.97

-28.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.46 $2.46

-51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.12 $3.12

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.53 $1.53

28.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$14.79 $14.79

-47.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$36.6K $36.6K

-50.48%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.9K $26.9K

-1.41%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$399 $399

-79.37%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$80.2 $80.2

-88.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$58.9 $58.9

-58.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$27.98 $27.98

-7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.14 $7.14

-44.96%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$477 $477

-35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$10.6K $10.6K

-43.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$46.10 $46.10

27.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$55.3 $55.3

-41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$90.2 $90.2

13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$104 $104

4.30%

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

$1,829 $1,829

-54.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

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

4.78

180.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toa Alta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $82.0 in Toa Alta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $351 – 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 Toa Alta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toa Alta is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,908 in Toa Alta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $82.0 in Toa Alta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Toa Alta, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Toa Alta at $1,272. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toa Alta 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toa Alta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.