Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo Alto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo Alto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,755 per month in Trujillo Alto vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,623 per month in Trujillo Alto vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,492 per month in Trujillo Alto vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Trujillo Alto costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Trujillo Alto and Medellin sit above the global median – Trujillo Alto by 28%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 $13.10

$8.02 COP 25.4K

63.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$47.87 COP 152.0K

65.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 $9.38

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-5.16%

Cappuccino

$2.95 $2.95

$3.13 COP 9,937

-5.75%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.91 COP 6,058

-2.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.51 COP 4,794

-33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.12 COP 9,917

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-32.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.44 COP 4,587

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.49 COP 7,894

28.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.77 COP 5,631

31.07%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$2.96 COP 9,396

61.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 $9.52

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-5.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 $7.78

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.14 COP 13.1K

9.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.61 COP 5,106

63.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.25 COP 7,129

117.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.25 COP 7,150

74.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.04 COP 6,486

85.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.54 COP 4,873

152.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.17 COP 3,715

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.31 COP 4,148

11.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$3.90 COP 12.4K

160.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$14.01 COP 44.5K

8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.74 COP 5,534

78.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.87 COP 9,112

36.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.31 COP 4,155

85.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.19 COP 6,944

-30.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 $41.43

$8.71 COP 27.7K

375.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.37 COP 4,334

-24.82%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

24.11%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-23.11%

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

$326 $326

$177 COP 562.9K

83.81%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$13.88 COP 44.1K

328.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$29.72 COP 94.4K

133.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 $29.64

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-33.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.17 $10.17

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-40.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 $10.53

$6.65 COP 21.1K

58.35%

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

$352 $352

$813 COP 2.6M

-56.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,317 $5,317

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-42.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.23 $40.23

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-55.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 $54.8

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$138 COP 438.8K

-35.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$102 COP 324.2K

12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 $702

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 $544

$663 COP 2.1M

-17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 $1,168

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 $961

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-6.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,892 $1,892

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-54.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 $1,588

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-5.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,297 $3,297

$678 COP 2.2M

386.54%

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 Trujillo Alto: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $702 in Trujillo Alto versus $1,062 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 387% higher in Trujillo Alto, 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 $79.0 in Trujillo Alto versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $305 – 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

Trujillo Alto vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trujillo Alto is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,632 per month in Trujillo Alto and $2,521 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 $79.0 in Trujillo Alto and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Trujillo Alto, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Trujillo Alto at $1,755. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trujillo Alto 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, Trujillo Alto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.