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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,993 per month in Victoria vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Victoria vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,355 per month in Victoria vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Victoria costs about 99% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Victoria sits 50% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 SCR 229

$5.91 COP 18.6K

168.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 SCR 644

$32.96 COP 103.8K

35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 SCR 131

$7.43 COP 23.4K

22.34%

Cappuccino

$5.03 SCR 72.7

$1.65 COP 5,207

204.85%

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

$2.71 SCR 39.17

$1.10 COP 3,468

146.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SCR 37.83

$0.78 COP 2,458

235.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SCR 56.8

$1.72 COP 5,412

128.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 SCR 67.5

$3.18 COP 10.0K

46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 SCR 26.83

$1.10 COP 3,474

69.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 SCR 26.01

$1.26 COP 3,962

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 SCR 41.16

$1.38 COP 4,349

106.52%

Eggs

$3.52 SCR 51.0

$2.18 COP 6,858

61.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.94 SCR 491

$4.49 COP 14.1K

655.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 SCR 86.9

$5.79 COP 18.2K

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 SCR 172

$8.97 COP 28.2K

32.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SCR 32.46

$2.32 COP 7,308

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 SCR 36.66

$1.06 COP 3,352

139.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SCR 31.96

$1.52 COP 4,774

45.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 SCR 86.8

$1.36 COP 4,270

341.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 SCR 30.18

$1.13 COP 3,552

84.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 SCR 22.16

$1.17 COP 3,689

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SCR 19.80

$0.90 COP 2,838

52.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SCR 21.72

$0.90 COP 2,823

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.12 SCR 320

$2.23 COP 7,034

891.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 SCR 147

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 SCR 60.8

$1.19 COP 3,743

253.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 SCR 93.0

$2.48 COP 7,815

159.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 SCR 11.45

$0.85 COP 2,687

-7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.32 SCR 366

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-39.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SCR 98.2

$1.42 COP 4,459

378.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SCR 29.24

$1.95 COP 6,141

3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.89 SCR 302

$7.89 COP 24.8K

164.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 SCR 20.30

$0.99 COP 3,118

41.41%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.1K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

47.43%

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

$34.2K SCR 494.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

27.53%

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

$136 SCR 1,971

$83.0 COP 261.4K

64.27%

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

$41.83 SCR 605

$9.70 COP 30.5K

331.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 SCR 2,172

$23.52 COP 74.1K

538.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 SCR 1,338

$25.26 COP 79.5K

266.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 SCR 224

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-18.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 SCR 75.7

$3.95 COP 12.4K

32.41%

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

$157 SCR 2,276

$316 COP 994.2K

-50.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,459 SCR 122.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

41.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 SCR 926

$60.0 COP 188.9K

6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.35 SCR 395

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-14.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 SCR 996

$102 COP 320.1K

-32.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 SCR 1,048

$107 COP 338.3K

-32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 SCR 13.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

102.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 SCR 10.8K

$374 COP 1.2M

98.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 SCR 29.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

136.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 SCR 26.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

151.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$435 SCR 6,285

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-86.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,134 SCR 16.4K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-21.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$957 SCR 13.8K

$624 COP 2.0M

53.25%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Victoria versus $475 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 53% 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 $45.00 in Victoria versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 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

Victoria vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Victoria is pricier by about 99%, 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 $2,989 per month in Victoria and $1,504 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 $45.00 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 $1,993 in Victoria and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Victoria at $1,993. 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.