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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Vac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,803 in Vac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,472 in Vac, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Vac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Vac are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Vac 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.87 Ft 2,812

-30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$45.64 Ft 14.5K

-28.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.49 Ft 2,689

-13.55%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.11 Ft 669

-18.48%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.40 Ft 442

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.03 Ft 326

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.90 Ft 603

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.22 Ft 703

42.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.11 Ft 351

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.54 Ft 489

-15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.84 Ft 584

-23.91%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.61 Ft 827

-17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.49 Ft 3,006

-53.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.64 Ft 1,786

4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.68 Ft 3,701

-26.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.90 Ft 602

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.99 Ft 630

-44.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.96 Ft 623

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.00 Ft 949

-55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.13 Ft 358

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.27 Ft 401

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.54 Ft 487

-44.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 Ft 164

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.82 Ft 2,162

-65.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.10 Ft 1,616

142.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.10 Ft 348

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.48 Ft 470

68.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.16 Ft 368

-27.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$25.26 Ft 8,004

60.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.94 Ft 932

-51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.15 Ft 366

66.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.38 Ft 5,505

-55.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.76 Ft 559

-43.75%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.6K Ft 8.1M

-29.64%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.0K Ft 9.8M

-13.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$142 Ft 44.9K

-42.97%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$26.91 Ft 8,525

-63.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.83 Ft 6,283

21.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$46.75 Ft 14.8K

-46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.88 Ft 5,348

13.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.39 Ft 2,342

-46.14%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$295 Ft 93.4K

3.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,744 Ft 2.1M

-10.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$70.4 Ft 22.3K

-17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.02 Ft 8,561

19.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$73.8 Ft 23.4K

36.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$85.6 Ft 27.1K

25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$423 Ft 134.1K

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$352 Ft 111.6K

6.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$783 Ft 248.2K

7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$706 Ft 223.6K

3.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,150 Ft 998.1K

2.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,379 Ft 753.8K

-42.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,465 Ft 464.3K

-57.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Vac: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $423 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 138% 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 $46.00 in Vac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $217 – 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 10%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,699 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 $46.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,133 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 $1,031, than in Vac at $1,133. 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.