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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $797 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,299 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,801 in Villa Nueva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Villa Nueva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Villa Nueva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Villa Nueva 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.53 Q 34.54

32.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$23.67 Q 180

38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.83 Q 36.76

46.79%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.18 Q 24.25

-46.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.80 Q 6.11

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.37 Q 2.83

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.27 Q 9.65

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.94 Q 14.80

58.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.90 Q 14.49

-42.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.06 Q 8.05

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.47 Q 11.21

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.93 Q 14.70

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.37 Q 56.1

-40.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.81 Q 51.9

-17.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.69 Q 66.2

2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.44 Q 33.79

-47.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.14 Q 16.30

-50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$5.21 Q 39.69

-71.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.14 Q 8.68

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.43 Q 10.89

-19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.42 Q 10.84

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.27 Q 9.65

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.31 Q 9.99

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.23 Q 24.62

-29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.07 Q 69.1

17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.28 Q 9.73

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.92 Q 14.66

28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.01 Q 7.70

-14.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.98 Q 15.07

-25.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.65 Q 4.93

201.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.02 Q 7.74

-6.86%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$16.3K Q 124.3K

11.16%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.2K Q 123.1K

63.95%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$49.22 Q 375

67.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.27 Q 200

-63.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$26.12 Q 199

-7.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$19.94 Q 152

29.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.56 Q 34.74

-13.82%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$51.5 Q 393

500.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$12.5K Q 95.4K

-52.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.67 Q 348

28.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$53.6 Q 408

-39.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$90.7 Q 691

13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$86.0 Q 655

26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$328 Q 2,501

45.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$199 Q 1,515

90.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$711 Q 5,416

17.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$450 Q 3,425

60.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Villa Nueva: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $328 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $243 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 27%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,195 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 29% 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 $797, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.