Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Waling Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Waling

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $419 in Waling, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $691 in Waling, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Waling, rent included.

Medellin costs about 142% more than Waling, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Waling are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Waling 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.78 NPR 271

236.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.80 NPR 2,861

74.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.41 NPR 976

10.61%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.82 NPR 278

-6.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.50 NPR 75.3

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.16 NPR 24.83

387.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.57 NPR 391

-34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.71 NPR 564

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.82 NPR 124

32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 NPR 79.8

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.93 NPR 142

48.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.42 NPR 217

54.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.10 NPR 1,081

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.87 NPR 437

96.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$3.54 NPR 538

151.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.25 NPR 343

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.84 NPR 129

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.19 NPR 181

26.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.68 NPR 104

102.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.42 NPR 63.3

173.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.45 NPR 69.1

157.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.48 NPR 73.8

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.21 NPR 31.95

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.99 NPR 455

-23.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.30 NPR 807

100.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.27 NPR 345

-47.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.27 NPR 498

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.17 NPR 26.16

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.17 NPR 330

-32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.05 NPR 159

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.70 NPR 564

109.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 NPR 196

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-43.48%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-34.99%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$32.75 NPR 4,985

151.15%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.98 NPR 758

90.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$9.59 NPR 1,459

152.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$18.26 NPR 2,779

41.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.36 NPR 511

16.96%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$90.1 NPR 13.7K

243.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,703 NPR 563.6K

61.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$24.80 NPR 3,775

136.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$28.20 NPR 4,292

14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$59.6 NPR 9,068

72.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$39.66 NPR 6,037

173.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$104 NPR 15.8K

357.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$64.8 NPR 9,867

484.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$206 NPR 31.4K

306.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$143 NPR 21.7K

406.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,047 NPR 159.3K

166.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,291 NPR 196.5K

-6.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.08

11.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Waling: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $104 in Waling. 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 $19.00 in Waling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $129 – making Waling 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 Waling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $628 in Waling. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waling, 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 $19.00 in Waling. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Waling, where all-in costs run around $419, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Waling it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Waling – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Waling. 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.