Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Victoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Victoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,993 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,174 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,355 in Victoria, rent included.

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Victoria is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$15.85 SCR 229

-62.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.53 SCR 644

-25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.09 SCR 131

-18.26%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.03 SCR 72.7

-67.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.71 SCR 39.17

-59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.62 SCR 37.83

-70.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.93 SCR 56.8

-56.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.67 SCR 67.5

-31.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.86 SCR 26.83

-40.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.80 SCR 26.01

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.85 SCR 41.16

-51.58%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.52 SCR 51.0

-38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$33.94 SCR 491

-86.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.01 SCR 86.9

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.86 SCR 172

-24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.25 SCR 32.46

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.54 SCR 36.66

-58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.21 SCR 31.96

-31.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$6.00 SCR 86.8

-77.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.09 SCR 30.18

-45.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.53 SCR 22.16

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.37 SCR 19.80

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.50 SCR 21.72

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$22.12 SCR 320

-89.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.19 SCR 147

18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$4.21 SCR 60.8

-71.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$6.44 SCR 93.0

-61.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.79 SCR 11.45

7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$25.32 SCR 366

64.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.79 SCR 98.2

-79.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.02 SCR 29.24

-3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$20.89 SCR 302

-62.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.40 SCR 20.30

-29.29%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.0K SCR 375.1K

-32.17%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.2K SCR 494.0K

-21.59%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$136 SCR 1,971

-39.12%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$41.83 SCR 605

-76.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$150 SCR 2,172

-84.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$92.6 SCR 1,338

-72.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.48 SCR 224

23.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.23 SCR 75.7

-24.47%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$157 SCR 2,276

100.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,459 SCR 122.3K

-29.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$64.1 SCR 926

-6.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.35 SCR 395

16.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$68.9 SCR 996

47.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$72.5 SCR 1,048

48.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$962 SCR 13.9K

-50.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$744 SCR 10.8K

-49.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,007 SCR 29.0K

-57.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,807 SCR 26.1K

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$435 SCR 6,285

651.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,134 SCR 16.4K

27.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$957 SCR 13.8K

-34.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.5

-18.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $962 in Victoria. 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 53% higher in Victoria, 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 $45.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $382 – 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 Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Victoria is pricier by about 99%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,989 in Victoria. 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 $45.00 in Victoria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,993 in Victoria. 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 $1,003, than in Victoria at $1,993. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.