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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Vac vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,803 per month in Vac vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,472 per month in Vac vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Vac costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vac and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Vac 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 Ft 2,820

$6.16 COP 20.1K

43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.64 Ft 14.5K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

40.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 Ft 2,697

$7.34 COP 23.9K

15.67%

Cappuccino

$2.11 Ft 671

$1.72 COP 5,600

22.67%

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

$1.40 Ft 443

$1.05 COP 3,420

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 Ft 327

$0.77 COP 2,515

33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 Ft 605

$1.69 COP 5,488

12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 705

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.05 COP 3,423

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 490

$1.30 COP 4,236

18.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 586

$1.40 COP 4,544

31.43%

Eggs

$2.61 Ft 830

$2.16 COP 7,047

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 Ft 3,015

$4.39 COP 14.3K

116.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 Ft 1,791

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.68 Ft 3,712

$8.64 COP 28.1K

35.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 604

$2.28 COP 7,426

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 632

$1.11 COP 3,604

79.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 Ft 624

$1.53 COP 4,983

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 Ft 952

$1.35 COP 4,410

122.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 359

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Ft 403

$1.13 COP 3,692

12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 488

$0.85 COP 2,753

81.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Ft 164

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 Ft 2,168

$2.34 COP 7,630

191.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 Ft 1,621

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 Ft 349

$1.20 COP 3,909

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 Ft 471

$2.49 COP 8,104

-40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 Ft 369

$0.84 COP 2,728

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.26 Ft 8,028

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-37.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 Ft 935

$1.42 COP 4,623

107.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 Ft 367

$1.92 COP 6,235

-40.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,521

$7.66 COP 24.9K

126.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 560

$0.99 COP 3,223

77.78%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

42.12%

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

$31.0K Ft 9.8M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

16.25%

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

$142 Ft 45.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

75.34%

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

$26.91 Ft 8,550

$9.95 COP 32.4K

170.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.83 Ft 6,301

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.75 Ft 14.9K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

86.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 Ft 5,363

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-11.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 Ft 2,348

$3.98 COP 13.0K

85.68%

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

$295 Ft 93.7K

$305 COP 993.5K

-3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,744 Ft 2.1M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

11.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 Ft 22.4K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

21.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.02 Ft 8,586

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-16.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 Ft 23.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 Ft 27.2K

$108 COP 350.8K

-20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 Ft 134.5K

$477 COP 1.6M

-11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 Ft 111.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

-6.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 Ft 248.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-7.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 Ft 224.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

-3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,150 Ft 1.0M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-2.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 Ft 756.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

73.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,465 Ft 465.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

137.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

13.43

-44.90%

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

Last update for Vac: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Vac versus $477 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 138% higher in Vac, 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 $46.00 in Vac versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 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

Vac vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vac is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,699 per month in Vac and $1,546 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 $46.00 in Vac and $33.00 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 $1,133 in Vac and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Vac at $1,133. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vac 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, Vac makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.