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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,329 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,280 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,232 in Vac, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Vac is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$19.40 Ft 6,171

-58.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$115 Ft 36.6K

-58.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.70 Ft 3,086

1.96%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.39 Ft 760

30.96%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.58 Ft 503

20.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.32 Ft 419

14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.24 Ft 711

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.38 Ft 758

141.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.30 Ft 414

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.47 Ft 469

69.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.32 Ft 740

-23.71%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.28 Ft 1,044

-9.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.52 Ft 2,709

18.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.10 Ft 1,940

65.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$16.85 Ft 5,359

-15.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.91 Ft 607

116.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.16 Ft 688

-25.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.11 Ft 672

6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.40 Ft 762

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.67 Ft 530

22.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.17 Ft 373

31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.36 Ft 433

-13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.51 Ft 164

156.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.79 Ft 2,479

-49.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.08 Ft 1,617

175.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.86 Ft 273

102.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.28 Ft 727

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.39 Ft 444

-12.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$30.20 Ft 9,608

166.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.00 Ft 954

-56.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.61 Ft 512

36.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$16.80 Ft 5,345

-48.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.84 Ft 586

-25.54%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$28.9K Ft 9.2M

-3.56%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$40.5K Ft 12.9M

-11.72%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$157 Ft 49.9K

12.94%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$25.87 Ft 8,230

-46.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$22.02 Ft 7,006

34.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$49.73 Ft 15.8K

-9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.35 Ft 5,518

-1.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.45 Ft 2,688

-21.30%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$309 Ft 98.2K

163.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,805 Ft 2.2M

34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$90.6 Ft 28.8K

-1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$32.35 Ft 10.3K

82.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$83.9 Ft 26.7K

64.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$109 Ft 34.7K

-6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$528 Ft 168.1K

101.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$408 Ft 129.7K

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$866 Ft 275.5K

118.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$784 Ft 249.3K

31.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,145 Ft 1.0M

33.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,657 Ft 845.4K

-36.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,438 Ft 457.4K

-52.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vac: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $528 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 112% higher in Vac, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $115 in Vac. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $238 in Vac – so Vac wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,993 in Vac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vac, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $115 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,329 in Vac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vac, where all-in costs run around $1,329, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Vac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vac – 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 Vac. 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.