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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,831 per month in Noord vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,105 per month in Noord vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Noord vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Noord costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Noord and Medellin sit above the global median – Noord by 34%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.38 AWG 41.91

$8.02 COP 25.3K

191.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 AWG 156

$47.87 COP 151.0K

81.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

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

$2.94 AWG 5.26

$1.91 COP 6,019

53.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 AWG 3.52

$1.51 COP 4,763

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.69 AWG 15.58

$3.12 COP 9,853

178.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 AWG 16.59

$5.75 COP 18.1K

61.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AWG 3.43

$1.44 COP 4,558

32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.35

$2.49 COP 7,843

19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.09

$1.77 COP 5,595

60.45%

Eggs

$6.32 AWG 11.32

$2.96 COP 9,336

113.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 AWG 22.28

$10.07 COP 31.8K

23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 AWG 16.78

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-7.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.56

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 AWG 8.53

$4.14 COP 13.0K

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.14

$1.61 COP 5,073

43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.05 AWG 9.05

$2.25 COP 7,083

124.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 AWG 6.38

$2.25 COP 7,104

58.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 AWG 4.04

$2.04 COP 6,444

10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 AWG 3.63

$1.54 COP 4,842

31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 AWG 4.72

$1.17 COP 3,691

124.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 AWG 2.81

$1.31 COP 4,121

19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 AWG 18.11

$3.90 COP 12.3K

159.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 AWG 18.26

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.82 AWG 10.44

$1.74 COP 5,498

234.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 AWG 7.80

$2.87 COP 9,053

51.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.73 AWG 4.90

$1.37 COP 4,306

99.27%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 AWG 2,671

$1,062 COP 3.3M

40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 AWG 2,137

$663 COP 2.1M

79.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,848 AWG 5,105

$1,888 COP 6.0M

50.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 AWG 4,496

$1,027 COP 3.2M

144.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Noord: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Noord versus $1,062 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 $87.0 in Noord versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $305 – making Medellin 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

Noord vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Noord is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,747 per month in Noord and $2,521 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.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Noord, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Noord and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Noord at $1,831. 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.