Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,028 per month in Victoria vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,213 per month in Victoria vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,398 per month in Victoria vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Victoria costs about 21% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Victoria and Medellin sit above the global median – Victoria by 48%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.89 SCR 259

$8.02 COP 25.0K

123.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 SCR 745

$47.87 COP 149.4K

7.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.86 SCR 186

$9.89 COP 30.8K

30.03%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SCR 57.8

$3.13 COP 9,767

27.80%

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

$2.34 SCR 33.86

$1.91 COP 5,954

22.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SCR 38.71

$1.51 COP 4,712

77.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 SCR 60.1

$3.12 COP 9,747

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 SCR 56.8

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-31.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SCR 27.37

$1.44 COP 4,509

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 SCR 24.98

$2.49 COP 7,759

-30.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 SCR 37.73

$1.77 COP 5,535

47.46%

Eggs

$3.85 SCR 55.7

$2.96 COP 9,235

30.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.48 SCR 455

$10.07 COP 31.4K

212.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 SCR 90.0

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-38.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 SCR 183

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SCR 32.10

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-46.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 SCR 41.32

$1.61 COP 5,019

77.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 SCR 34.78

$2.25 COP 7,007

7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.53 SCR 94.4

$2.25 COP 7,028

190.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 SCR 28.89

$2.04 COP 6,375

-1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 SCR 26.17

$1.54 COP 4,790

17.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 SCR 21.62

$1.17 COP 3,651

28.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SCR 19.39

$1.31 COP 4,077

2.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.51 SCR 354

$3.90 COP 12.2K

528.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 SCR 146

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-28.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 SCR 63.9

$1.74 COP 5,439

154.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 SCR 82.4

$2.87 COP 8,956

98.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 SCR 10.81

$1.22 COP 3,792

-38.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.21 SCR 495

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-57.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 SCR 22.72

$1.37 COP 4,260

14.60%

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

$27.8K SCR 401.8K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-0.16%

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

$33.3K SCR 481.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-6.86%

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

$141 SCR 2,033

$177 COP 553.2K

-20.71%

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

$41.98 SCR 607

$13.88 COP 43.3K

202.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$142 SCR 2,059

$29.72 COP 92.8K

379.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.9 SCR 1,140

$44.88 COP 140.1K

75.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.00 SCR 116

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-53.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 SCR 106

$6.65 COP 20.7K

9.77%

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

$143 SCR 2,066

$813 COP 2.5M

-82.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,666 SCR 125.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-5.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SCR 537

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-58.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 SCR 360

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-57.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SCR 1,312

$138 COP 431.2K

-34.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SCR 1,455

$102 COP 318.7K

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 SCR 13.9K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 SCR 11.7K

$663 COP 2.1M

21.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 SCR 32.2K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

18.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 SCR 25.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

68.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$449 SCR 6,490

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-89.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 SCR 17.1K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-29.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$940 SCR 13.6K

$678 COP 2.1M

38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.69%

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

Last update for Victoria: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Victoria 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 39% higher in Victoria, 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 $52.0 in Victoria versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 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

Victoria vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Victoria is pricier by about 21%, 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 $3,042 per month in Victoria 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 $52.0 in Victoria 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 $2,028 in Victoria and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Victoria at $2,028. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria 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, Victoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.