Cost of Living Comparison Between Reston, VA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Reston, VA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,274 per month in Reston, VA vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,141 per month in Reston, VA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,008 per month in Reston, VA vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Reston, VA costs about 222% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Reston, VA sits 144% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.33 $24.33

$5.95 COP 20.8K

308.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 $106

$33.33 COP 116.3K

217.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$7.23 COP 25.2K

49.38%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$1.63 COP 5,687

233.74%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$1.09 COP 3,821

174.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.73 COP 2,548

249.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.62 $7.62

$1.74 COP 6,065

337.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 $7.80

$3.23 COP 11.3K

141.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.05 COP 3,662

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.29 COP 4,515

185.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.92 $6.92

$1.32 COP 4,617

424.24%

Eggs

$5.36 $5.36

$2.27 COP 7,927

136.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.40 $19.40

$4.35 COP 15.2K

345.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.20 $20.20

$5.88 COP 20.5K

243.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.85 $24.85

$8.61 COP 30.0K

188.62%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$2.25 COP 7,844

243.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.07 COP 3,733

71.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$1.52 COP 5,322

259.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$1.42 COP 4,964

312.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.17 COP 4,084

204.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.17 COP 4,077

176.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.89 COP 3,096

192.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.90 COP 3,146

212.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.95 $7.95

$2.25 COP 7,837

253.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.18 $18.18

$11.04 COP 38.5K

64.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.14 COP 3,977

48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.38 COP 8,301

55.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.95 $5.95

$0.84 COP 2,916

608.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 $132

$41.95 COP 146.4K

214.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.41 COP 4,912

182.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.90 COP 6,634

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.87 $24.87

$7.75 COP 27.0K

220.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

-11.88%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

48.53%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.13%

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

$216 $216

$83.7 COP 292.1K

158.48%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$9.45 COP 33.0K

454.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

194.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.9 $99.9

$25.31 COP 88.3K

294.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 $29.61

$19.14 COP 66.8K

54.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$4.10 COP 14.3K

260.24%

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

$1,821 $1,821

$312 COP 1.1M

483.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.4K $36.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

507.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.70 $46.70

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 $49.01

$32.56 COP 113.6K

50.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$109 COP 378.8K

11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 $1,964

$482 COP 1.7M

307.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 $1,538

$379 COP 1.3M

305.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,690 $3,690

$837 COP 2.9M

340.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,260 $3,260

$723 COP 2.5M

350.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,375 $6,375

$2,840 COP 9.9M

124.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,367 $4,367

$1,223 COP 4.3M

257.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,245 $6,245

$541 COP 1.9M

1054.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Reston, VA: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,964 in Reston, VA 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.

Salaries run about 1055% higher in Reston, VA, 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 $106 in Reston, VA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $190 – 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

Reston, VA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reston, VA is pricier by about 222%, 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 $4,911 per month in Reston, VA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Reston, VA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,274 in Reston, VA and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Reston, VA at $3,274. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reston, VA 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reston, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.