Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vitoria-Gasteiz

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,070 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Vitoria-Gasteiz
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,070
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Vitoria-Gasteiz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Vitoria-Gasteiz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,070 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Vitoria-Gasteiz $2,070

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,905 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Vitoria-Gasteiz $2,905

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,740 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Vitoria-Gasteiz $3,740

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Vitoria-Gasteiz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Vitoria-Gasteiz sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Vitoria-Gasteiz by 52%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$17.51 €15.69
-53.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$68.4 €61.3
-31.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$12.93 €11.58
-26.53%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.07 €1.86
45.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$2.74 €2.46
-34.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$1.97 €1.77
-28.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$3.37 €3.02
-5.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$3.97 €3.55
44.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.22 €1.09
23.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$1.98 €1.77
20.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.90 €1.70
-6.84%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$3.46 €3.10
-16.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$22.80 €20.42
-55.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$9.32 €8.35
5.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$17.29 €15.48
-19.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$3.10 €2.78
28.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$2.59 €2.32
-40.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$2.67 €2.39
-18.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$2.44 €2.19
-10.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$1.74 €1.56
12.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.95 €1.74
-18.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$1.61 €1.44
-28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.81 €0.72
53.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$8.50 €7.61
-53.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$5.76 €5.16
137.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.14 €1.03
45.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$1.95 €1.75
15.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$1.71 €1.54
-31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$33.86 €30.33
128.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$6.61 €5.92
-80.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$1.86 €1.66
10.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$23.65 €21.18
-63.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.86 €1.66
-27.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$38.2K €34.2K
-10.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$30.6K €27.4K
13.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$154 €138
9.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$17.03 €15.25
-20.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$36.51 €32.70
-23.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$50.9 €45.56
-14.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$11.27 €10.09
52.53%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$9.88 €8.85
-30.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$391 €350
103.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,856 €7,036
15.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$104 €93.6
-18.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$33.13 €29.67
74.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$108 €96.5
25.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$147 €132
-33.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$1,134 €1,015
6.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$990 €887
-35.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,433 €1,283
41.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,247 €1,117
-18.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$3,544 €3,174
17.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$3,375 €3,023
-43.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$2,713 €2,430
-75.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.47
215.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Vitoria-Gasteiz: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$990 54.4% $349
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$321 7.9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$208 1.6% $3.3
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$247 45.9% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$177 4.5% $7.6
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$57 39.5% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Vitoria-Gasteiz
$71 22.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,134 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Vitoria-Gasteiz are about 4.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $68 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $321 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Vitoria-Gasteiz
🕒 Local time
04:14 4:14 AM
10:14 10:14 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
255,886
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Vitoria-Gasteiz 8,150 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Vitoria-Gasteiz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vitoria-Gasteiz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Vitoria-Gasteiz?
Yes – Vitoria-Gasteiz is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,105 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Vitoria-Gasteiz?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,208 in Medellin and $1,134 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Vitoria-Gasteiz?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $68 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Vitoria-Gasteiz?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,070 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. That makes Medellin about 21% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Vitoria-Gasteiz?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $2,070 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Vitoria-Gasteiz?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,070 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vitoria-Gasteiz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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