😐A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $644 in Toledo City, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,034 in Toledo City, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,424 in Toledo City, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 155% more than Toledo City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Toledo City is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04COP 24.8K
$2.88₱180
179.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29COP 148.6K
$19.11₱1,198
152.69%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42COP 29.0K
$3.17₱199
197.16%
Cappuccino
$2.94COP 9,040
$1.95₱122
50.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86COP 5,735
$0.66₱41.35
181.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46COP 4,479
$0.32₱20.05
356.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21COP 9,882
$1.06₱66.5
202.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71COP 17.6K
$1.81₱113
215.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44COP 4,428
$1.68₱105
-14.29%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,389
$1.20₱75.5
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.70COP 5,228
$0.91₱57.0
86.81%
Eggs
$2.89COP 8,896
$1.95₱123
48.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.06COP 30.9K
$5.90₱370
70.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.97COP 30.7K
$4.09₱257
143.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.20COP 43.7K
$6.06₱380
134.32%
Apples(1kg)
$3.98COP 12.3K
$3.28₱206
21.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58COP 4,878
$1.03₱64.8
53.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15COP 6,624
$2.92₱183
-26.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,078
$1.45₱90.8
58.62%
Potato(1kg)
$2.00COP 6,169
$2.41₱151
-17.01%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,646
$2.76₱173
-45.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20COP 3,701
$1.46₱91.6
-17.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28COP 3,946
$0.76₱47.76
68.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84COP 11.8K
$0.79₱49.45
386.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.01COP 43.1K
$6.48₱406
116.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71COP 5,256
$1.10₱69.0
55.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74COP 8,440
$1.31₱81.9
109.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.25COP 3,834
$0.27₱17.04
362.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$77.9COP 239.7K
$11.01₱690
607.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.31COP 4,016
$0.75₱47.01
74.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17COP 6,680
$0.36₱22.63
502.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29COP 25.5K
$2.36₱148
251.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36COP 4,172
$1.09₱68.5
24.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
$21.4K₱1.3M
28.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
$19.6K₱1.2M
86.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169COP 519.2K
$62.9₱3,944
168.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57COP 41.8K
$9.41₱590
44.21%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32COP 87.2K
$27.68₱1,736
2.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.71COP 140.7K
$31.56₱1,979
44.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22COP 53.0K
$4.73₱297
264.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 20.5K
$1.58₱98.9
320.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$803COP 2.5M
$79.9₱5,009
905.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,190COP 28.3M
$8,197₱513.9K
12.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4COP 268.8K
$32.20₱2,019
171.30%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4COP 182.7K
$19.59₱1,228
203.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$139COP 427.5K
$55.0₱3,445
152.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102COP 314.0K
$55.9₱3,505
82.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,071COP 3.3M
$272₱17.1K
293.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$653COP 2.0M
$173₱10.9K
277.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,925COP 5.9M
$509₱31.9K
278.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,048COP 3.2M
$347₱21.7K
202.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,123COP 12.7M
$2,614₱163.9K
57.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,697COP 5.2M
$1,060₱66.4K
60.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Toledo City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$655COP 2.0M
$324₱20.3K
102.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
6
82.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Last update for Toledo City: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $272 in Toledo City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 102% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Toledo City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $187 – making Toledo City 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 Toledo City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toledo City cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 155%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $966 in Toledo City. 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 Toledo City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Toledo City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Toledo City. 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 Toledo City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $644 in Toledo City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Toledo City?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Toledo City, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Toledo City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Toledo City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Toledo City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Toledo City. 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.