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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $414 in Waling, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $682 in Waling, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $949 in Waling, rent included.

Medellin costs about 149% more than Waling, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Waling are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Waling 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.78 NPR 274

246.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.58 NPR 2,865

75.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.53 NPR 1,007

12.40%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.90 NPR 293

-9.47%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.51 NPR 77.9

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.18 NPR 27.84

327.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.60 NPR 401

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.62 NPR 558

-12.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.86 NPR 133

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 NPR 82.0

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.96 NPR 148

45.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.50 NPR 231

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.15 NPR 1,102

-38.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.83 NPR 436

107.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.57 NPR 551

142.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.28 NPR 351

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.89 NPR 138

24.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.18 NPR 183

29.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.65 NPR 101

107.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.39 NPR 60.0

189.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.45 NPR 69.7

151.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.49 NPR 75.8

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.23 NPR 35.61

295.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.96 NPR 456

-20.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.20 NPR 801

137.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.30 NPR 354

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.26 NPR 503

-23.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.22 NPR 34.02

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.19 NPR 338

-35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.09 NPR 169

76.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.57 NPR 551

114.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.23 NPR 190

-19.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.7K NPR 5.0M

-44.80%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.1K NPR 6.2M

-33.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$33.66 NPR 5,192

140.08%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.87 NPR 750

104.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.40 NPR 1,450

157.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$18.35 NPR 2,829

36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.20 NPR 494

24.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$91.5 NPR 14.1K

233.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,796 NPR 585.3K

59.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$24.85 NPR 3,833

133.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.35 NPR 4,371

13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$59.6 NPR 9,189

69.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.02 NPR 6,172

169.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$103 NPR 15.9K

362.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$63.2 NPR 9,740

495.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$210 NPR 32.4K

301.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$144 NPR 22.2K

408.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,059 NPR 163.3K

203.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,272 NPR 196.2K

7.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Waling: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $103 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: $193 vs $130 – 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 149%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $621 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 48% 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 $414, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.