Cost of Living Comparison Between Neiva and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Neiva and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Neiva vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,128 per month in Neiva vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,524 per month in Neiva vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Neiva is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Neiva and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Neiva 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 COP 10.4K

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.86 COP 57.7K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 COP 28.8K

$7.20 COP 26.2K

9.86%

Cappuccino

$1.34 COP 4,892

$1.70 COP 6,186

-21.18%

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

$0.76 COP 2,772

$1.10 COP 3,996

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 COP 1,815

$0.72 COP 2,625

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,814

$1.67 COP 6,067

-37.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 8,038

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 4,274

$1.06 COP 3,837

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 COP 2,592

$1.25 COP 4,531

-43.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.43 COP 1,557

$1.39 COP 5,060

-69.06%

Eggs

$1.56 COP 5,666

$2.26 COP 8,229

-30.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 COP 17.4K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 COP 18.1K

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 COP 24.4K

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 COP 5,346

$2.24 COP 8,159

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,149

$1.08 COP 3,911

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,718

$1.53 COP 5,563

-15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,519

$1.37 COP 4,987

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,044

$1.13 COP 4,109

-1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,092

$1.12 COP 4,067

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 COP 2,597

$0.85 COP 3,080

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,702

$0.91 COP 3,305

-48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 COP 7,205

$2.33 COP 8,477

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 COP 50.4K

$11.13 COP 40.5K

24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 4,068

$1.19 COP 4,342

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 6,937

$2.37 COP 8,617

-19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,421

$0.79 COP 2,859

-15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.71 COP 108.1K

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-27.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 COP 4,460

$1.44 COP 5,223

-14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 COP 5,331

$1.91 COP 6,952

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 21.7K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-25.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 COP 2,880

$0.94 COP 3,410

-15.96%

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

$16.0K COP 58.3M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-10.61%

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

$24.6K COP 89.5M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-8.16%

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

$72.3 COP 262.9K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-13.90%

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

$10.11 COP 36.8K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.91 COP 43.3K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 COP 85.0K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-9.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 COP 13.0K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

-8.67%

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

$297 COP 1.1M

$306 COP 1.1M

-3.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,510 COP 31.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

43.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 COP 214.7K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 COP 155.1K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

34.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 COP 223.0K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-38.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 COP 221.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

-43.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 1.0M

$487 COP 1.8M

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 863.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

-35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 COP 1.9M

$826 COP 3.0M

-36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 COP 1.6M

$716 COP 2.6M

-40.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,740 COP 6.3M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-40.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,429 COP 5.2M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

1.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 COP 1.5M

$546 COP 2.0M

-23.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Neiva: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Neiva versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Neiva versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $163 vs $190 – making Neiva 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

Neiva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,099 per month in Neiva and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Neiva, 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 $16.00 in Neiva and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $732 in Neiva and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Neiva, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Neiva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Neiva – 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 Neiva. 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.