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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Victoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,172 in Victoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $4,378 in Victoria, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Victoria is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$15.84 SCR 229

-62.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.95 SCR 649

-25.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.44 SCR 136

-23.41%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.86 SCR 70.2

-66.46%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.76 SCR 39.88

-60.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.65 SCR 38.21

-72.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.89 SCR 56.1

-55.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.56 SCR 65.9

-29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.85 SCR 26.71

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.71 SCR 24.67

-24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.86 SCR 41.26

-53.85%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.52 SCR 50.8

-35.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$34.01 SCR 491

-87.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.06 SCR 87.6

-2.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.98 SCR 173

-28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.27 SCR 32.77

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.54 SCR 36.73

-57.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.17 SCR 31.36

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$6.00 SCR 86.6

-76.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.97 SCR 28.51

-40.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.51 SCR 21.83

-22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.38 SCR 19.94

-35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.50 SCR 21.68

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$21.77 SCR 314

-89.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.55 SCR 152

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.35 SCR 62.8

-73.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$6.64 SCR 96.0

-64.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.81 SCR 11.71

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.11 SCR 363

67.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$6.96 SCR 101

-79.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.12 SCR 30.57

-10.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$20.82 SCR 301

-62.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.45 SCR 21.01

-30.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

-32.33%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

-22.24%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$135 SCR 1,956

-38.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$40.87 SCR 590

-76.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$150 SCR 2,160

-83.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$91.7 SCR 1,324

-72.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.31 SCR 221

25.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.20 SCR 75.1

-21.15%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$158 SCR 2,275

97.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

-29.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$66.3 SCR 958

-12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.59 SCR 398

18.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.3 SCR 1,015

41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$71.1 SCR 1,027

52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$933 SCR 13.5K

-48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$732 SCR 10.6K

-48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

-57.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

-60.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$481 SCR 6,942

490.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

-4.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$975 SCR 14.1K

-44.51%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Victoria: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $933 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 80% 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: $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 93%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,948 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,965 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 $1,017, than in Victoria at $1,965. 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.