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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Noord vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,096 per month in Noord vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,958 per month in Noord vs $2,188 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 8% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.66 AWG 24.45

$5.95 COP 20.8K

129.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 AWG 117

$33.33 COP 116.3K

96.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 AWG 17.56

$7.23 COP 25.2K

35.68%

Cappuccino

$5.05 AWG 9.04

$1.63 COP 5,687

209.82%

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

$0.98 AWG 1.75

$1.09 COP 3,821

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 AWG 2.67

$0.73 COP 2,548

104.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 AWG 9.46

$1.74 COP 6,065

204.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 AWG 12.11

$3.23 COP 11.3K

109.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 AWG 18.31

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 AWG 5.27

$0.84 COP 2,916

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 AWG 10.70

$1.41 COP 4,912

324.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.06 AWG 10.85

$1.90 COP 6,634

218.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.78 AWG 89.1

$7.75 COP 27.0K

542.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.01 COP 3,509

45.54%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$153 AWG 274

$83.7 COP 292.1K

82.72%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 AWG 179

$24.11 COP 84.1K

315.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.11 AWG 87.9

$25.31 COP 88.3K

94.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 AWG 13.97

$4.10 COP 14.3K

90.24%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 AWG 1,449

$482 COP 1.7M

67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 AWG 1,092

$379 COP 1.3M

60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 AWG 3,146

$837 COP 2.9M

109.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 AWG 2,868

$723 COP 2.5M

121.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $809 in Noord versus $482 in Medellin. 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 $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 $1,853 per month in Noord and $1,525 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 827% 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 $1,017, than in Noord at $1,235. 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.