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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Victoria vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Victoria vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,283 per month in Victoria vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Victoria costs about 91% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Victoria sits 48% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 SCR 231

$5.92 COP 21.5K

165.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 SCR 649

$32.75 COP 119.1K

35.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 SCR 131

$7.20 COP 26.2K

24.17%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SCR 73.0

$1.70 COP 6,186

192.94%

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

$2.66 SCR 39.00

$1.10 COP 3,996

141.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SCR 40.03

$0.72 COP 2,625

279.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 SCR 57.4

$1.67 COP 6,067

134.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 SCR 67.7

$3.10 COP 11.3K

48.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.06 COP 3,837

68.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 SCR 26.25

$1.25 COP 4,531

43.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 SCR 40.29

$1.39 COP 5,060

97.84%

Eggs

$3.65 SCR 53.6

$2.26 COP 8,229

61.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.94 SCR 498

$4.33 COP 15.8K

683.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SCR 87.9

$5.84 COP 21.2K

2.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 SCR 171

$8.83 COP 32.1K

31.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SCR 33.73

$2.24 COP 8,159

2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SCR 39.11

$1.08 COP 3,911

147.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SCR 31.26

$1.53 COP 5,563

39.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 SCR 91.9

$1.37 COP 4,987

356.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 30.17

$1.13 COP 4,109

82.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SCR 21.67

$1.12 COP 4,067

32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SCR 19.29

$0.85 COP 3,080

54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SCR 21.83

$0.91 COP 3,305

63.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.64 SCR 317

$2.33 COP 8,477

828.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 SCR 148

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.43 SCR 65.0

$1.19 COP 4,342

272.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 SCR 98.5

$2.37 COP 8,617

183.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SCR 12.33

$0.79 COP 2,859

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.64 SCR 362

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-40.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 SCR 101

$1.44 COP 5,223

376.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 SCR 31.24

$1.91 COP 6,952

11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.97 SCR 308

$8.02 COP 29.2K

161.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 SCR 20.54

$0.94 COP 3,410

48.94%

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

$26.3K SCR 385.4K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

46.57%

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

$34.8K SCR 509.8K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

29.72%

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

$135 SCR 1,974

$84.0 COP 305.4K

60.27%

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

$40.70 SCR 597

$9.60 COP 34.9K

323.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$155 SCR 2,276

$24.16 COP 87.9K

542.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 SCR 1,353

$25.88 COP 94.1K

256.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.39 SCR 226

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-19.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 SCR 74.4

$3.92 COP 14.2K

29.34%

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

$154 SCR 2,263

$306 COP 1.1M

-49.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,288 SCR 121.6K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 SCR 968

$57.9 COP 210.6K

13.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 SCR 399

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 SCR 1,034

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-29.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 SCR 1,067

$107 COP 389.7K

-32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 SCR 13.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

92.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 SCR 10.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

100.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 SCR 29.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

143.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 SCR 26.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

149.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$465 SCR 6,820

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-84.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 SCR 17.7K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-14.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$904 SCR 13.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

65.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

13.43

22.86%

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

Last update for Victoria: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Victoria versus $487 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 66% 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 $44.00 in Victoria versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $190 – 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 91%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,966 per month in Victoria and $1,550 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 $44.00 in Victoria 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 $1,978 in Victoria and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Victoria at $1,978. 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.