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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Noord vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,085 per month in Noord vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,923 per month in Noord vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Noord costs about 24% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Noord and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Noord 6% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AWG 24.25

$5.91 COP 18.6K

129.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 AWG 115

$32.96 COP 103.8K

95.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 AWG 18.17

$7.43 COP 23.4K

36.61%

Cappuccino

$5.03 AWG 9.01

$1.65 COP 5,207

204.85%

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

$0.99 AWG 1.77

$1.10 COP 3,468

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 AWG 2.73

$0.78 COP 2,458

94.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 AWG 9.29

$1.72 COP 5,412

201.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 AWG 12.40

$3.18 COP 10.0K

117.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$9.79 AWG 17.51

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 AWG 5.32

$0.85 COP 2,687

250.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 AWG 10.66

$1.42 COP 4,459

319.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.96 AWG 10.67

$1.95 COP 6,141

205.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.40 AWG 88.4

$7.89 COP 24.8K

526.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$0.99 COP 3,118

48.48%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$149 AWG 267

$83.0 COP 261.4K

79.85%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AWG 180

$23.52 COP 74.1K

328.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.97 AWG 89.4

$25.26 COP 79.5K

97.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 AWG 14.29

$3.95 COP 12.4K

102.28%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 AWG 1,440

$475 COP 1.5M

69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 AWG 1,078

$374 COP 1.2M

61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 AWG 3,142

$849 COP 2.7M

106.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 AWG 2,909

$719 COP 2.3M

125.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Noord 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Noord versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $20.00 in Noord vs $193 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 24%, 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 $1,871 per month in Noord 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 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 888% 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 $64.0 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 $1,003, than in Noord at $1,247. 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.