Cost of Living Comparison Between Vac and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Vac and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,348 per month in Vac vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,319 per month in Vac vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Vac vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Vac is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Vac sits 2% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 Ft 6,259

$8.03 COP 25.3K

145.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 Ft 36.7K

$48.26 COP 152.0K

139.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 Ft 3,094

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$2.43 Ft 771

$2.91 COP 9,167

-16.49%

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

$1.58 Ft 500

$1.94 COP 6,122

-18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 Ft 391

$1.52 COP 4,792

-19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 Ft 688

$3.09 COP 9,740

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 Ft 749

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-58.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Ft 437

$1.36 COP 4,296

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Ft 465

$2.39 COP 7,519

-38.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 748

$1.70 COP 5,356

38.82%

Eggs

$3.42 Ft 1,084

$2.87 COP 9,038

19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 Ft 2,704

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-14.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 Ft 1,997

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-41.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 Ft 5,323

$14.73 COP 46.4K

13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 Ft 621

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-52.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 663

$1.57 COP 4,950

33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 664

$2.13 COP 6,695

-1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 Ft 794

$2.21 COP 6,972

13.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 Ft 525

$2.05 COP 6,447

-19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 Ft 381

$1.50 COP 4,737

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 Ft 443

$1.19 COP 3,747

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Ft 162

$1.16 COP 3,647

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.12 Ft 2,575

$3.90 COP 12.3K

108.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.27 Ft 1,670

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-63.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 Ft 291

$1.58 COP 4,987

-41.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 Ft 732

$2.83 COP 8,905

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 Ft 350

$1.17 COP 3,679

-5.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.48 Ft 8,714

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-64.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 Ft 1,031

$1.28 COP 4,045

153.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 Ft 411

$2.09 COP 6,589

-38.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.63 Ft 6,225

$8.62 COP 27.1K

127.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 611

$1.30 COP 4,088

48.46%

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

$29.7K Ft 9.4M

$27.7K COP 87.1M

7.30%

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

$35.7K Ft 11.3M

$35.5K COP 111.8M

0.54%

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

$156 Ft 49.6K

$176 COP 554.5K

-11.22%

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

$25.67 Ft 8,138

$13.37 COP 42.1K

92.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.13 Ft 7,017

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-25.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 Ft 14.7K

$44.76 COP 141.0K

3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 Ft 6,048

$17.06 COP 53.7K

11.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.39 Ft 2,661

$6.20 COP 19.5K

35.32%

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

$262 Ft 83.2K

$793 COP 2.5M

-66.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,643 Ft 2.7M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-4.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 Ft 28.8K

$85.6 COP 269.6K

5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.39 Ft 9,954

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-46.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 Ft 25.4K

$136 COP 429.3K

-41.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 Ft 34.2K

$103 COP 324.7K

4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 Ft 166.9K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-50.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 Ft 131.0K

$680 COP 2.1M

-39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 Ft 269.9K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 Ft 254.8K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-31.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 Ft 970.5K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-25.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 Ft 845.4K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

56.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,462 Ft 463.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

119.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

10.94

-38.94%

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

Last update for Vac: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Vac versus $1,060 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 120% higher in Vac, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $116 in Vac versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Vac vs $303 in Medellin – so Vac wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Vac vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, 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 $2,022 per month in Vac and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vac, 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 $116 in Vac and $48.00 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 $1,348 in Vac and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vac, where all-in costs run around $1,348, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Vac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vac – 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 Vac. 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.