Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Van Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Van

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $906 in Van, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,361 in Van, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,816 in Van, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Van, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Van are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Van 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$6.32 ₺284

-6.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$17.60 ₺791

88.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.51 ₺338

-3.46%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.97 ₺133

-42.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.90 ₺40.60

21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.26 ₺11.79

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$4.24 ₺190

-58.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.85 ₺173

-17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.09 ₺49.21

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.78 ₺35.21

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$2.31 ₺104

-40.26%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.86 ₺83.6

18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$9.45 ₺425

-52.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$5.52 ₺248

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$16.20 ₺728

-44.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.09 ₺49.11

110.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.17 ₺97.7

-51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.06 ₺47.69

42.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.87 ₺38.92

56.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.68 ₺30.48

70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.59 ₺26.59

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.90 ₺40.67

-7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.52 ₺23.54

63.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.05 ₺92.2

14.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$13.45 ₺605

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$2.20 ₺99.0

-47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.57 ₺116

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.41 ₺18.55

92.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$48.71 ₺2,189

-14.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.56 ₺70.2

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.62 ₺27.71

206.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$8.62 ₺388

-10.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.19 ₺53.5

-13.45%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$40.0K ₺1.8M

-55.81%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$41.8K ₺1.9M

-35.35%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$95.7 ₺4,301

-14.91%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$10.27 ₺462

-8.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$8.97 ₺403

164.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$30.04 ₺1,350

-13.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$3.00 ₺135

35.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$619 ₺27.8K

-49.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$7,719 ₺347.0K

-21.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$70.1 ₺3,152

-16.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$30.50 ₺1,371

7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$86.3 ₺3,881

16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$50.5 ₺2,269

110.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$320 ₺14.4K

53.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$230 ₺10.3K

61.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$557 ₺25.0K

50.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$381 ₺17.1K

87.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$563 ₺25.3K

-5.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

36.83

-63.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Van: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $320 in Van. 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 6% higher in Van, 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 $33 in Medellin versus $18 in Van. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $223 in Van – so Medellin 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 Van: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,359 in Van. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Van, 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 $18.00 in Van. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $906 in Van. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Van, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Van it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Van – 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 Van. 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.