Cost of Living Comparison Between The Valley and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between The Valley and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $588 per month in The Valley vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,265 per month in The Valley vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in The Valley vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

The Valley is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both The Valley and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – The Valley 56% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 EC$54.1

$5.99 COP 21.4K

234.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 EC$399

$32.86 COP 117.4K

349.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 EC$26.59

$7.09 COP 25.3K

38.93%

Cappuccino

$5.10 EC$13.76

$1.71 COP 6,115

198.25%

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

$3.53 EC$9.53

$1.10 COP 3,924

220.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 EC$10.54

$0.78 COP 2,781

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 EC$10.68

$1.68 COP 5,997

135.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 EC$13.41

$3.07 COP 11.0K

61.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 EC$3.82

$1.09 COP 3,906

29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 EC$8.72

$1.26 COP 4,508

156.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.83 EC$59.0

$4.40 COP 15.7K

396.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.19 EC$32.91

$5.63 COP 20.1K

116.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$20.67 EC$55.8

$10.64 COP 38.0K

94.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

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)

$25.50 EC$68.9

$1.47 COP 5,264

1634.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$0.95 COP 3,409

95.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.59 EC$123

$25.89 COP 92.4K

76.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

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 %)

13.43

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

Last update for The Valley: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $148 in The Valley versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 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

The Valley vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, 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 $882 per month in The Valley and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – 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 $148 in The Valley 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 The Valley, where all-in costs run around $588, than in Medellin at $1,013. In The Valley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward The Valley – 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 The Valley. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.