Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vac Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,122 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,777 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,431 in Vac, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Vac 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.80 Ft 2,685

-31.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$46.58 Ft 14.2K

-29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.45 Ft 2,577

-16.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.14 Ft 653

-20.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.44 Ft 438

-23.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.08 Ft 329

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.89 Ft 577

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.28 Ft 694

34.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.06 Ft 324

2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.54 Ft 471

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.92 Ft 585

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.69 Ft 820

-18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.15 Ft 2,790

-51.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.83 Ft 1,777

-3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.88 Ft 3,625

-25.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.87 Ft 571

25.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.89 Ft 577

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.04 Ft 623

-26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.12 Ft 952

-55.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.10 Ft 335

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.25 Ft 382

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.50 Ft 457

-40.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.56 Ft 172

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.65 Ft 2,029

-65.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.44 Ft 1,658

95.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.09 Ft 333

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.41 Ft 431

75.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.14 Ft 347

-24.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$24.88 Ft 7,588

66.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.97 Ft 904

-50.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.11 Ft 337

76.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.31 Ft 5,280

-55.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.77 Ft 539

-46.33%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.2K Ft 8.0M

-30.89%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$30.6K Ft 9.3M

-13.37%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$141 Ft 42.9K

-41.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.12 Ft 7,965

-63.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$19.74 Ft 6,021

22.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$47.11 Ft 14.4K

-45.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.98 Ft 5,177

11.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.29 Ft 2,224

-46.09%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$300 Ft 91.4K

3.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,697 Ft 2.0M

-10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$71.0 Ft 21.7K

-17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$27.75 Ft 8,463

16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$73.4 Ft 22.4K

39.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$84.9 Ft 25.9K

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$436 Ft 132.8K

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$341 Ft 104.1K

10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$766 Ft 233.7K

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$705 Ft 215.1K

2.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,233 Ft 985.9K

-13.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,480 Ft 756.4K

-51.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,534 Ft 468.0K

-66.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.4

81.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vac: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $436 in Vac. 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 200% higher in Vac, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Vac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $219 – 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 Vac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vac is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,683 in Vac. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $47.00 in Vac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,122 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Vac at $1,122. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac 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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.