Cost of Living Comparison Between Toa Alta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Toa Alta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,252 per month in Toa Alta vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Toa Alta vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Toa Alta vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Toa Alta is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Toa Alta sits 9% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 $12.80

$8.03 COP 25.2K

59.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 $83.5

$48.26 COP 151.7K

73.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 $9.04

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-7.47%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$2.91 COP 9,149

17.53%

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

$1.55 $1.55

$1.94 COP 6,110

-20.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.52 COP 4,783

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.09 COP 9,721

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-10.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.36 COP 4,287

66.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.39 COP 7,505

48.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.70 COP 5,346

35.88%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.87 COP 9,021

78.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-50.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-10.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-55.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.09 COP 12.8K

26.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.57 COP 4,940

67.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.13 COP 6,682

127.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.21 COP 6,959

118.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.05 COP 6,435

80.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.50 COP 4,728

160.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.19 COP 3,740

193.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.16 COP 3,640

36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$3.90 COP 12.2K

205.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$14.44 COP 45.4K

3.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.58 COP 4,978

92.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.83 COP 8,889

41.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.28 COP 4,038

98.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.09 COP 6,576

-29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$8.62 COP 27.1K

392.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.30 COP 4,080

-15.38%

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

$40.0K $40.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

44.79%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-21.64%

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

$319 $319

$176 COP 553.4K

81.05%

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

$70.5 $70.5

$13.37 COP 42.0K

427.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$29.89 COP 94.0K

135.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.89 $27.89

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-37.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.69 $10.69

$6.20 COP 19.5K

72.42%

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

$830 $830

$793 COP 2.5M

4.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

37.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-34.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 $60.7

$58.5 COP 183.8K

3.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$136 COP 428.4K

-19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$103 COP 324.1K

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

10.94

-40.13%

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

Last update for Toa Alta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Toa Alta versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $303 – 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

Toa Alta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,878 per month in Toa Alta and $2,574 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 $84.0 in Toa Alta and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Toa Alta, where all-in costs run around $1,252, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Toa Alta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toa Alta – 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 Toa Alta. 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.