Cost of Living Comparison Between Noord and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Noord and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Noord vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,110 per month in Noord vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,971 per month in Noord vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Noord costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Noord and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Noord 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 AWG 23.93

$5.92 COP 21.5K

125.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 AWG 116

$32.75 COP 119.1K

98.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 AWG 18.10

$7.20 COP 26.2K

40.42%

Cappuccino

$4.91 AWG 8.78

$1.70 COP 6,186

188.82%

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

$1.02 AWG 1.83

$1.10 COP 3,996

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$0.72 COP 2,625

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 AWG 9.18

$1.67 COP 6,067

207.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 AWG 12.40

$3.10 COP 11.3K

123.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 AWG 17.59

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-11.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 AWG 5.41

$0.79 COP 2,859

282.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 AWG 10.84

$1.44 COP 5,223

320.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.94 AWG 10.62

$1.91 COP 6,952

210.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.33 AWG 88.3

$8.02 COP 29.2K

515.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 AWG 2.73

$0.94 COP 3,410

61.70%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$152 AWG 272

$84.0 COP 305.4K

80.82%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 AWG 180

$24.16 COP 87.9K

315.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.55 AWG 88.7

$25.88 COP 94.1K

91.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 AWG 14.19

$3.92 COP 14.2K

102.30%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 AWG 1,441

$487 COP 1.8M

65.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 AWG 1,092

$368 COP 1.3M

65.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 AWG 3,190

$826 COP 3.0M

115.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 AWG 2,931

$716 COP 2.6M

128.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$983 AWG 1,759

$546 COP 2.0M

80.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Noord: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Noord 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 80% higher in Noord, 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 $65.0 in Noord versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $20.00 in Noord vs $190 in Medellin – so Noord wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Noord vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Noord is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,874 per month in Noord 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 866% cheaper in Noord – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Noord and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Noord at $1,249. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noord it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Noord makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.