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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,978 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $3,130 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,283 in Victoria, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Victoria is 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$15.73 SCR 227

-62.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.24 SCR 638

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.94 SCR 129

-19.46%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.98 SCR 71.8

-65.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.66 SCR 38.36

-58.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.73 SCR 39.37

-73.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.92 SCR 56.5

-57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.61 SCR 66.6

-32.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.79 SCR 25.82

-40.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.79 SCR 25.82

-30.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.75 SCR 39.64

-49.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.65 SCR 52.7

-38.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$33.94 SCR 490

-87.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.99 SCR 86.4

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.64 SCR 168

-24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.30 SCR 33.17

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.67 SCR 38.47

-59.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.13 SCR 30.75

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$6.26 SCR 90.4

-78.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.06 SCR 29.67

-45.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.48 SCR 21.32

-24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.31 SCR 18.98

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.49 SCR 21.48

-38.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$21.64 SCR 312

-89.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.07 SCR 145

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$4.43 SCR 63.9

-73.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$6.71 SCR 96.9

-64.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.84 SCR 12.13

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$24.64 SCR 356

66.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.86 SCR 98.9

-79.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.13 SCR 30.72

-10.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$20.97 SCR 303

-61.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.40 SCR 20.20

-32.86%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.3K SCR 379.0K

-31.77%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.8K SCR 501.5K

-22.91%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$135 SCR 1,942

-37.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$40.70 SCR 587

-76.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$155 SCR 2,239

-84.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$92.2 SCR 1,331

-71.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.39 SCR 222

23.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.07 SCR 73.2

-22.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$154 SCR 2,226

98.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,288 SCR 119.6K

-28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$66.0 SCR 952

-12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.17 SCR 392

17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.5 SCR 1,017

41.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.7 SCR 1,050

47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$936 SCR 13.5K

-47.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$738 SCR 10.7K

-50.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,010 SCR 29.0K

-58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,789 SCR 25.8K

-59.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$465 SCR 6,709

529.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,208 SCR 17.4K

16.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$904 SCR 13.0K

-39.65%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $936 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 66% 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 $44.00 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $383 – 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 91%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,966 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 $44.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,978 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 $1,034, than in Victoria at $1,978. 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.