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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,965 per month in Victoria vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,172 per month in Victoria vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Victoria vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Victoria costs about 93% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Victoria sits 46% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.84 SCR 229

$5.95 COP 20.8K

166.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 SCR 649

$33.33 COP 116.3K

34.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SCR 136

$7.23 COP 25.2K

30.57%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SCR 70.2

$1.63 COP 5,687

198.16%

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

$2.76 SCR 39.88

$1.09 COP 3,821

153.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SCR 38.21

$0.73 COP 2,548

263.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 SCR 56.1

$1.74 COP 6,065

123.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 SCR 65.9

$3.23 COP 11.3K

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SCR 26.71

$1.05 COP 3,662

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 SCR 24.67

$1.29 COP 4,515

32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SCR 41.26

$1.32 COP 4,617

116.67%

Eggs

$3.52 SCR 50.8

$2.27 COP 7,927

55.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.01 SCR 491

$4.35 COP 15.2K

681.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 SCR 87.6

$5.88 COP 20.5K

3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 SCR 173

$8.61 COP 30.0K

39.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SCR 32.77

$2.25 COP 7,844

0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 SCR 36.73

$1.07 COP 3,733

137.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SCR 31.36

$1.52 COP 5,322

42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.00 SCR 86.6

$1.42 COP 4,964

322.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SCR 28.51

$1.17 COP 4,084

68.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SCR 21.83

$1.17 COP 4,077

29.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SCR 19.94

$0.89 COP 3,096

55.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SCR 21.68

$0.90 COP 3,146

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.77 SCR 314

$2.25 COP 7,837

867.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 SCR 152

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 SCR 62.8

$1.14 COP 3,977

281.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 SCR 96.0

$2.38 COP 8,301

178.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.71

$0.84 COP 2,916

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 SCR 363

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-40.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 SCR 101

$1.41 COP 4,912

393.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 SCR 30.57

$1.90 COP 6,634

11.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.82 SCR 301

$7.75 COP 27.0K

168.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 SCR 21.01

$1.01 COP 3,509

43.56%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

47.78%

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

$34.1K SCR 492.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

28.60%

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

$135 SCR 1,956

$83.7 COP 292.1K

61.88%

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

$40.87 SCR 590

$9.45 COP 33.0K

332.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 SCR 2,160

$24.11 COP 84.1K

520.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.7 SCR 1,324

$25.31 COP 88.3K

262.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 SCR 221

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-20.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 SCR 75.1

$4.10 COP 14.3K

26.83%

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

$158 SCR 2,275

$312 COP 1.1M

-49.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,479 SCR 122.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

41.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 SCR 958

$58.0 COP 202.6K

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 SCR 398

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 SCR 1,015

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-29.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 SCR 1,027

$109 COP 378.8K

-34.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 SCR 13.5K

$482 COP 1.7M

93.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 SCR 10.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

92.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 SCR 28.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

137.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 SCR 26.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

150.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$481 SCR 6,942

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-83.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 SCR 18.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

4.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 SCR 14.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

80.20%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Victoria 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 80% 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: $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 93%, 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 $2,948 per month in Victoria 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 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 $1,965 in Victoria 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Victoria at $1,965. 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.