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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,028 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,213 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,398 in Victoria, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Victoria, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Victoria sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Victoria by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$17.89 SCR 259

-55.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$51.5 SCR 745

-7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.86 SCR 186

-23.09%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.00 SCR 57.8

-21.75%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.34 SCR 33.86

-18.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.68 SCR 38.71

-43.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.16 SCR 60.1

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.93 SCR 56.8

46.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.89 SCR 27.37

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.73 SCR 24.98

43.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.61 SCR 37.73

-32.18%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.85 SCR 55.7

-23.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$31.48 SCR 455

-68.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.23 SCR 90.0

62.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.63 SCR 183

13.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.22 SCR 32.10

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.86 SCR 41.32

-43.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.41 SCR 34.78

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.53 SCR 94.4

-65.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.00 SCR 28.89

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.81 SCR 26.17

-14.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.50 SCR 21.62

-22.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.34 SCR 19.39

-2.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$24.51 SCR 354

-84.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.08 SCR 146

38.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.42 SCR 63.9

-60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$5.70 SCR 82.4

-49.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.75 SCR 10.81

62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$34.21 SCR 495

135.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.57 SCR 22.72

-12.74%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$27.8K SCR 401.8K

0.16%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.3K SCR 481.8K

7.36%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$141 SCR 2,033

26.11%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$41.98 SCR 607

-66.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$142 SCR 2,059

-79.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$78.9 SCR 1,140

-43.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$8.00 SCR 116

114.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.30 SCR 106

-8.90%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$143 SCR 2,066

468.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,666 SCR 125.3K

6.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$37.12 SCR 537

141.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$24.87 SCR 360

137.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$90.8 SCR 1,312

52.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$101 SCR 1,455

1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$959 SCR 13.9K

10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$809 SCR 11.7K

-18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,229 SCR 32.2K

-15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,735 SCR 25.1K

-40.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$449 SCR 6,490

832.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,186 SCR 17.1K

41.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$940 SCR 13.6K

-27.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Victoria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $959 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 39% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Victoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $381 – 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 21%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,042 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $52.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $2,028 in Victoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Victoria at $2,028. 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.