Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,945 per month in Vilcabamba vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Vilcabamba is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vilcabamba and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Vilcabamba 30% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 $3.30

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-44.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 $35.09

$32.75 COP 118.2K

7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 $7.56

$7.20 COP 26.0K

5.00%

Cappuccino

$2.16 $2.16

$1.70 COP 6,140

27.06%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$1.10 COP 3,966

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.72 COP 2,605

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 COP 6,022

18.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.10 COP 11.2K

10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.06 COP 3,809

-8.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.25 COP 4,497

56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.39 COP 5,022

-2.88%

Eggs

$2.17 $2.17

$2.26 COP 8,168

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$4.33 COP 15.6K

72.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.84 COP 21.1K

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 $7.21

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.24 COP 8,099

12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.08 COP 3,882

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.53 COP 5,522

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.37 COP 4,950

-23.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.13 COP 4,078

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.12 COP 4,036

-13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.85 COP 3,057

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.91 COP 3,281

12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.33 COP 8,414

166.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 $10.09

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.19 COP 4,309

36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.37 COP 8,553

6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.79 COP 2,838

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.33 $24.33

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-40.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.44 COP 5,184

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.91 COP 6,901

-51.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 $10.19

$8.02 COP 28.9K

27.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.94 COP 3,385

-31.91%

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

$20.1K $20.1K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

12.39%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

3.73%

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

$57.8 $57.8

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-31.17%

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

$13.24 $13.24

$9.60 COP 34.7K

37.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 $33.92

$24.16 COP 87.2K

40.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 $29.83

$25.88 COP 93.4K

15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 $14.71

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-22.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 $7.01

$3.92 COP 14.1K

78.83%

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

$253 $253

$306 COP 1.1M

-17.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 $5,676

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-4.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 $78.6

$57.9 COP 209.1K

35.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 $20.16

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 $75.0

$107 COP 386.8K

-29.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 $339

$487 COP 1.8M

-30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 $326

$368 COP 1.3M

-11.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 $632

$826 COP 3.0M

-23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 $585

$716 COP 2.6M

-18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,220 $1,220

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$838 $838

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-40.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$437 $437

$546 COP 2.0M

-19.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

13.43

-21.07%

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

Last update for Vilcabamba: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Vilcabamba 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 25% higher in Medellin, 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 $35.00 in Vilcabamba versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 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

Vilcabamba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,399 per month in Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba, 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 $35.00 in Vilcabamba 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 $933 in Vilcabamba and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vilcabamba, where all-in costs run around $933, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Vilcabamba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vilcabamba – 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 Vilcabamba. 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.