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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $760 per month in Neiva vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,125 per month in Neiva vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Neiva vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Neiva is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Neiva and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Neiva 43% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 COP 9,053

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-51.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.04 COP 50.5K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-51.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 COP 24.9K

$7.43 COP 23.4K

6.46%

Cappuccino

$1.31 COP 4,125

$1.65 COP 5,207

-20.61%

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

$0.76 COP 2,390

$1.10 COP 3,468

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,557

$0.78 COP 2,458

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 COP 3,315

$1.72 COP 5,412

-38.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,015

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-29.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 3,845

$1.10 COP 3,474

10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 COP 2,199

$1.26 COP 3,962

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,438

$1.38 COP 4,349

-66.67%

Eggs

$1.59 COP 5,005

$2.18 COP 6,858

-27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 COP 14.7K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 COP 16.2K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 COP 20.4K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-27.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,476

$2.32 COP 7,308

-38.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,567

$1.06 COP 3,352

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,295

$1.52 COP 4,774

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,939

$1.36 COP 4,270

-8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.13 COP 3,552

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,523

$1.17 COP 3,689

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 COP 2,297

$0.90 COP 2,838

-18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,441

$0.90 COP 2,823

-48.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 COP 6,255

$2.23 COP 7,034

-10.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 COP 48.4K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

26.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,509

$1.19 COP 3,743

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 COP 5,884

$2.48 COP 7,815

-24.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,261

$0.85 COP 2,687

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 COP 93.5K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-28.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 COP 3,778

$1.42 COP 4,459

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 COP 4,621

$1.95 COP 6,141

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 COP 18.9K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-23.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 COP 2,310

$0.99 COP 3,118

-26.26%

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

$15.8K COP 49.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-10.29%

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

$24.8K COP 78.1M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-7.43%

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

$73.5 COP 231.4K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-11.46%

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

$10.21 COP 32.2K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

5.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.24 COP 38.5K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-47.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.78 COP 74.9K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-5.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 COP 11.3K

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-8.86%

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

$298 COP 937.2K

$316 COP 994.2K

-5.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,355 COP 26.3M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

39.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 188.5K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 COP 133.1K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

32.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 COP 188.3K

$102 COP 320.1K

-41.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 COP 187.3K

$107 COP 338.3K

-44.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 COP 874.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 737.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

-37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.7M

$849 COP 2.7M

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 COP 1.4M

$719 COP 2.3M

-40.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,837 COP 5.8M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-43.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,605 COP 5.1M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

11.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 COP 1.5M

$624 COP 2.0M

-24.25%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Neiva versus $475 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 32% 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: $166 vs $193 – 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 32%, 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 $1,141 per month in Neiva and $1,504 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 $760 in Neiva and $1,003 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 $760, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.