Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villavicencio Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Villavicencio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,316 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,062 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,808 in Villavicencio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Villavicencio is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.03 COP 25.3K
$7.97 COP 25.1K
0.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.26 COP 152.0K
$40.73 COP 128.3K
18.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.77 COP 30.8K
$9.95 COP 31.3K
-1.81%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,167
$2.53 COP 7,961
15.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 COP 6,122
$1.34 COP 4,206
44.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 COP 4,792
$0.87 COP 2,755
74.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 COP 9,740
$1.88 COP 5,924
64.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 COP 18.1K
$3.71 COP 11.7K
54.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,296
$1.58 COP 4,973
-13.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,519
$2.39 COP 7,539
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,356
$1.62 COP 5,110
4.94%
Eggs
$2.87 COP 9,038
$3.79 COP 11.9K
-24.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 COP 31.3K
$7.30 COP 23.0K
36.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 COP 34.0K
$7.37 COP 23.2K
46.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 COP 46.4K
$10.70 COP 33.7K
37.66%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 COP 12.9K
$3.33 COP 10.5K
22.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 COP 4,950
$1.73 COP 5,442
-9.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,695
$1.94 COP 6,122
9.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 COP 6,972
$1.82 COP 5,723
21.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 COP 6,447
$1.43 COP 4,512
43.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,737
$1.37 COP 4,299
9.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 COP 3,747
$1.36 COP 4,291
-12.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 COP 3,647
$1.09 COP 3,443
6.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.3K
$4.41 COP 13.9K
-11.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.44 COP 45.5K
$12.92 COP 40.7K
11.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 4,987
$1.44 COP 4,532
9.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 COP 8,905
$3.08 COP 9,689
-8.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,679
$1.15 COP 3,624
1.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.7 COP 244.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,045
$2.10 COP 6,627
-39.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 COP 6,589
$2.49 COP 7,843
-16.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 COP 27.1K
$9.35 COP 29.4K
-7.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,088
$1.35 COP 4,245
-3.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K COP 87.1M
$22.0K COP 69.4M
25.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K COP 111.8M
$35.5K COP 111.6M
0.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 COP 554.5K
$123 COP 388.1K
42.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.1K
$15.90 COP 50.1K
-15.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 COP 94.1K
$30.72 COP 96.8K
-2.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.76 COP 141.0K
$31.78 COP 100.1K
40.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 COP 53.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.20 COP 19.5K
$7.69 COP 24.2K
-19.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 COP 2.5M
$473 COP 1.5M
67.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,019 COP 28.4M
$6,593 COP 20.8M
36.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 COP 269.6K
$79.8 COP 251.3K
7.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 COP 184.1K
$49.28 COP 155.2K
18.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$136 COP 429.3K
$143 COP 449.1K
-4.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 COP 324.7K
$112 COP 353.2K
-8.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 COP 3.3M
$710 COP 2.2M
49.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 COP 2.1M
$479 COP 1.5M
41.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,012 COP 6.3M
$1,156 COP 3.6M
74.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 COP 3.7M
$907 COP 2.9M
28.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,111 COP 12.9M
$2,053 COP 6.5M
100.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,701 COP 5.4M
$1,766 COP 5.6M
-3.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$665 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
12.81
-14.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Villavicencio: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $710 in Villavicencio. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Villavicencio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $261 – making Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villavicencio cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,974 in Villavicencio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Villavicencio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Villavicencio?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $41.00 in Villavicencio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Villavicencio?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Villavicencio?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villavicencio, where all-in costs run around $1,316, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Villavicencio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Villavicencio more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Villavicencio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Villavicencio. 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.

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