Cost of Living Comparison Between Van and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Van and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Van vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Van vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,770 per month in Van vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Van is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Van and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Van 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₺301

$5.95 COP 21.2K

9.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.71 ₺816

$33.33 COP 118.9K

-46.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 ₺347

$7.23 COP 25.8K

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ₺131

$1.63 COP 5,811

74.23%

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

$0.91 ₺41.82

$1.09 COP 3,904

-16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺10.99

$0.73 COP 2,604

-67.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.24 ₺196

$1.74 COP 6,197

143.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₺173

$3.23 COP 11.5K

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺48.43

$1.05 COP 3,742

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₺33.64

$1.29 COP 4,614

-43.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺106

$1.32 COP 4,718

74.24%

Eggs

$1.85 ₺85.4

$2.27 COP 8,101

-18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₺444

$4.35 COP 15.5K

121.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺258

$5.88 COP 21.0K

-4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 ₺753

$8.61 COP 30.7K

89.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 ₺48.69

$2.25 COP 8,015

-52.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₺100

$1.07 COP 3,814

103.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₺50.9

$1.52 COP 5,438

-27.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 ₺39.28

$1.42 COP 5,073

-40.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺32.21

$1.17 COP 4,173

-40.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺27.24

$1.17 COP 4,166

-49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ₺39.97

$0.89 COP 3,163

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₺24.16

$0.90 COP 3,215

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 ₺95.2

$2.25 COP 8,008

-8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 ₺493

$11.04 COP 39.4K

-3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 ₺98.4

$1.14 COP 4,063

86.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 ₺119

$2.38 COP 8,483

8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ₺20.59

$0.84 COP 2,979

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 ₺2,229

$41.95 COP 149.6K

15.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₺72.0

$1.41 COP 5,019

10.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺30.26

$1.90 COP 6,779

-65.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₺404

$7.75 COP 27.6K

13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$1.01 COP 3,586

19.80%

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

$40.4K ₺1.9M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

130.05%

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

$41.7K ₺1.9M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

57.27%

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

$95.1 ₺4,383

$83.7 COP 298.4K

13.60%

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

$10.32 ₺476

$9.45 COP 33.7K

9.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.84 ₺407

$24.11 COP 86.0K

-63.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.31 ₺1,397

$25.31 COP 90.3K

19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 ₺143

$4.10 COP 14.6K

-24.39%

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

$615 ₺28.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

97.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,710 ₺355.5K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 ₺3,218

$58.0 COP 207.0K

20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 ₺1,385

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₺4,020

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 ₺2,325

$109 COP 387.1K

-53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₺14.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-33.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ₺10.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-40.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 ₺25.1K

$837 COP 3.0M

-35.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 ₺17.5K

$723 COP 2.6M

-47.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,455 ₺67.1K

$2,840 COP 10.1M

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 ₺38.0K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

-32.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 ₺25.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

1.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

36.83

13.43

174.24%

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

Last update for Van: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $323 in Van versus $482 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 2% higher in Van, 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 $18.00 in Van versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Van vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Van vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,340 per month in Van and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Van, 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 $18.00 in Van 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 $894 in Van and $1,017 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 Van, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Van it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Van – 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 Van. 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.