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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $586 in Villanueva, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $958 in Villanueva, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Villanueva, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Villanueva, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Villanueva are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Villanueva 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.4K

$5.91 HNL 158

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 119.6K

$36.96 HNL 985

-9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 26.0K

$7.45 HNL 199

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,848

$2.33 HNL 62.1

-30.04%

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

$1.09 COP 3,929

$1.03 HNL 27.42

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,621

$1.12 HNL 29.87

-34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,237

$1.17 HNL 31.16

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.6K

$2.63 HNL 70.1

22.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,766

$1.38 HNL 36.81

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,643

$2.06 HNL 55.0

-37.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,748

$1.21 HNL 32.38

9.09%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,152

$2.12 HNL 56.6

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.6K

$6.19 HNL 165

-29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.1K

$3.68 HNL 98.2

59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.9K

$8.05 HNL 214

6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,066

$2.99 HNL 79.7

-24.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,839

$1.52 HNL 40.42

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,473

$1.49 HNL 39.76

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,105

$1.58 HNL 42.18

-10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,199

$1.61 HNL 42.80

-27.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,193

$1.34 HNL 35.72

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,183

$0.90 HNL 23.93

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,235

$1.72 HNL 45.75

-47.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,059

$2.45 HNL 65.3

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,089

$1.28 HNL 34.25

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,537

$1.86 HNL 49.47

27.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,998

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 150.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,051

$4.32 HNL 115

-67.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,823

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,608

$1.07 HNL 28.42

-5.61%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

$19.4K HNL 516.3K

-9.25%

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

$19.0K HNL 507.5K

39.16%

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

$83.7 COP 300.3K

$80.9 HNL 2,157

3.39%

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

$9.45 COP 33.9K

$8.82 HNL 235

7.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.5K

$40.50 HNL 1,080

-40.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.7K

$5.60 HNL 149

-26.79%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$253 HNL 6,757

23.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 208.3K

$45.33 HNL 1,208

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.9K

$35.17 HNL 937

-7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 357.6K

$110 HNL 2,935

-9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 389.6K

$103 HNL 2,744

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Villanueva: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Villanueva. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $189 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 73%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $880 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 1% 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 $586, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.