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 $590 per month in The Valley vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,278 per month in The Valley vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,967 per month in The Valley vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

The Valley is about 43% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 EC$53.9

$6.16 COP 20.1K

224.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 EC$389

$32.60 COP 106.1K

341.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 EC$27.11

$7.34 COP 23.9K

36.78%

Cappuccino

$5.15 EC$13.90

$1.72 COP 5,599

199.42%

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

$3.46 EC$9.34

$1.05 COP 3,420

229.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 EC$11.12

$0.77 COP 2,515

435.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 EC$10.65

$1.69 COP 5,487

133.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 EC$13.47

$3.17 COP 10.3K

57.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 EC$3.86

$1.05 COP 3,423

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 EC$8.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

150.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.20 EC$59.9

$4.39 COP 14.3K

405.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.26 EC$33.12

$5.88 COP 19.1K

108.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$20.82 EC$56.2

$12.37 COP 40.3K

68.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 EC$68.8

$1.42 COP 4,623

1695.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$0.99 COP 3,223

84.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.17 EC$119

$25.08 COP 81.6K

76.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in The Valley versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $193 – 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 75%, 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 $885 per month in The Valley and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $144 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 $590, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.