Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villanueva Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villanueva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $577 in Villanueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Villanueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,318 in Villanueva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 76% more than Villanueva, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Villanueva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Villanueva 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$5.70 HNL 153

4.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$36.88 HNL 986

-10.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.90 HNL 211

-9.87%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$2.27 HNL 60.8

-24.67%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.94 HNL 25.12

11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$1.18 HNL 31.61

-38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$1.12 HNL 29.92

53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.64 HNL 70.7

20.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.39 HNL 37.26

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$2.05 HNL 54.9

-36.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$1.29 HNL 34.43

3.10%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$2.03 HNL 54.2

12.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$5.98 HNL 160

-26.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.69 HNL 98.6

60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$8.00 HNL 214

8.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$2.88 HNL 76.9

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.46 HNL 39.12

-24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.44 HNL 38.53

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.51 HNL 40.45

-8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.58 HNL 42.38

-25.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.42 HNL 37.97

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.85 HNL 22.65

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.72 HNL 46.00

-51.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$2.47 HNL 66.0

-5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.28 HNL 34.35

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.80 HNL 48.23

34.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$4.15 HNL 111

-66.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.02 HNL 27.34

-7.84%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$19.4K HNL 519.2K

-8.22%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$19.2K HNL 514.7K

40.74%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$81.8 HNL 2,188

1.78%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$9.06 HNL 242

6.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$41.00 HNL 1,097

-40.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.75 HNL 154

-29.22%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$254 HNL 6,789

20.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$46.21 HNL 1,236

29.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$36.41 HNL 974

-10.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$108 HNL 2,879

-6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$104 HNL 2,780

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Villanueva: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Villanueva. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $186 in Villanueva – so Villanueva 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 Villanueva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $866 in Villanueva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Villanueva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villanueva, where all-in costs run around $577, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Villanueva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Villanueva – 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 Villanueva. 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.