Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villa Nueva Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villa Nueva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $820 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,340 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,860 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Villa Nueva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Villa Nueva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Villa Nueva 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.68 Q 35.63

31.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.72 Q 181

37.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.05 Q 38.51

45.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.33 Q 25.34

-48.35%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.81 Q 6.19

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 Q 2.83

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.33 Q 10.11

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.01 Q 15.31

57.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.91 Q 14.52

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.07 Q 8.16

21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.47 Q 11.19

-4.76%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.93 Q 14.67

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.44 Q 56.7

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.69 Q 51.0

-12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.66 Q 66.0

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.45 Q 33.94

-48.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.09 Q 15.91

-46.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$5.17 Q 39.41

-70.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.18 Q 8.97

14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.41 Q 10.74

-19.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.40 Q 10.68

-19.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.29 Q 9.80

-34.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.31 Q 9.99

-30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.24 Q 24.70

-27.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.71 Q 66.4

42.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.29 Q 9.80

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.91 Q 14.59

30.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.03 Q 7.81

-18.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.93 Q 14.72

-26.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.63 Q 4.81

204.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.05 Q 7.98

-5.71%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.2K Q 123.7K

11.08%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$16.5K Q 125.8K

61.28%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$49.34 Q 376

63.78%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.69 Q 196

-61.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.90 Q 197

-6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$19.48 Q 148

28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.45 Q 33.92

-10.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$52.5 Q 400

480.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$12.8K Q 97.4K

-52.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.51 Q 347

27.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$54.0 Q 411

-40.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$91.7 Q 698

9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$87.1 Q 663

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$332 Q 2,529

43.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$196 Q 1,496

91.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$721 Q 5,496

17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$449 Q 3,423

62.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Villa Nueva: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $332 in Villa Nueva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Villa Nueva. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $242 in Villa Nueva – 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 Villa Nueva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,230 in Villa Nueva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villa Nueva, 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 $24.00 in Villa Nueva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Villa Nueva, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Villa Nueva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villa Nueva – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Villa Nueva. 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.