Cost of Living Comparison Between Polva and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Polva and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Polva vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,953 per month in Polva vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,657 per month in Polva vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Polva costs about 23% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Polva and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Polva 7% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.31 €14.03

$5.99 COP 21.4K

172.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.4 €75.1

$32.86 COP 117.4K

165.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 €9.99

$7.09 COP 25.3K

63.89%

Cappuccino

$4.46 €3.84

$1.71 COP 6,115

160.82%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.10 COP 3,924

169.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.12

$0.78 COP 2,781

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.20 €5.34

$1.68 COP 5,997

269.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 €5.83

$3.07 COP 11.0K

120.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.09 COP 3,906

12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.38 COP 4,922

114.49%

Eggs

$2.86 €2.46

$2.19 COP 7,827

30.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.43

$4.40 COP 15.7K

202.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 €8.03

$5.63 COP 20.1K

65.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.49 €20.21

$8.89 COP 31.8K

164.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.34 COP 8,349

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.06 COP 3,777

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.50 COP 5,374

85.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 €3.16

$1.38 COP 4,924

165.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.15 COP 4,111

22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 €0.85

$1.16 COP 4,155

-15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.89 COP 3,182

116.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.84 COP 2,997

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 €5.80

$2.28 COP 8,145

195.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 €9.02

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.20 COP 4,284

64.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 €2.13

$2.47 COP 8,824

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 €3.59

$1.47 COP 5,264

184.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.96 COP 7,009

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.49 €15.04

$7.74 COP 27.6K

125.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.95 COP 3,409

102.11%

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

$31.8K €27.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

75.56%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

28.66%

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

$339 €292

$82.3 COP 293.7K

312.67%

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

$20.38 €17.53

$9.50 COP 33.9K

114.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 €30.20

$24.23 COP 86.5K

44.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 €11.79

$3.93 COP 14.0K

248.60%

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

$260 €223

$309 COP 1.1M

-16.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,005 €6,886

$5,965 COP 21.3M

34.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €98.7

$58.7 COP 209.5K

95.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.78 €40.24

$32.35 COP 115.5K

44.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €90.8

$103 COP 366.4K

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €120

$108 COP 387.2K

28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

13.43

-62.03%

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

Last update for Polva: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Polva versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $188 – 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

Polva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Polva is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 Polva and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Polva and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Polva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Polva at $1,249. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Polva 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, Polva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.