Cost of Living Comparison Between Waling and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waling and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $419 per month in Waling vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $691 per month in Waling vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $963 per month in Waling vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Waling is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Waling and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Waling 69% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 NPR 271

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-70.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 NPR 2,861

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-42.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 NPR 976

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-9.59%

Cappuccino

$1.82 NPR 278

$1.71 COP 6,115

6.43%

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

$0.50 NPR 75.3

$1.10 COP 3,924

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.83

$0.78 COP 2,781

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 NPR 391

$1.68 COP 5,997

52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 NPR 564

$3.07 COP 11.0K

20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 NPR 124

$1.09 COP 3,906

-24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 NPR 79.8

$1.26 COP 4,508

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 NPR 142

$1.38 COP 4,922

-32.61%

Eggs

$1.42 NPR 217

$2.19 COP 7,827

-35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 NPR 1,081

$4.40 COP 15.7K

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 NPR 437

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-49.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.54 NPR 538

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-60.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 NPR 343

$2.34 COP 8,349

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 NPR 129

$1.06 COP 3,777

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 NPR 181

$1.50 COP 5,374

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 104

$1.38 COP 4,924

-50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 NPR 63.3

$1.15 COP 4,111

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 NPR 69.1

$1.16 COP 4,155

-61.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 NPR 73.8

$0.89 COP 3,182

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 NPR 31.95

$0.84 COP 2,997

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 NPR 455

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.30 NPR 807

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-50.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 NPR 345

$1.20 COP 4,284

89.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 498

$2.47 COP 8,824

32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.16

$0.86 COP 3,056

-80.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NPR 330

$1.47 COP 5,264

47.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NPR 159

$1.96 COP 7,009

-46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NPR 564

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-52.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NPR 196

$0.95 COP 3,409

35.79%

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

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

76.92%

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

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

53.82%

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

$32.75 NPR 4,985

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-60.18%

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

$4.98 NPR 758

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-47.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.59 NPR 1,459

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-60.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.26 NPR 2,779

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 NPR 511

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-14.50%

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

$90.1 NPR 13.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-70.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,703 NPR 563.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-37.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.80 NPR 3,775

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-57.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.20 NPR 4,292

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 NPR 9,068

$103 COP 366.4K

-41.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.66 NPR 6,037

$108 COP 387.2K

-63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$104 NPR 15.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

-78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.8 NPR 9,867

$379 COP 1.4M

-82.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 NPR 31.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 NPR 21.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-80.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,047 NPR 159.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-62.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 NPR 196.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

6.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

13.43

-10.05%

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

Last update for Waling: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $104 in Waling versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Waling versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $188 – making Waling 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

Waling vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $628 per month in Waling and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waling, 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 $19.00 in Waling and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Waling, where all-in costs run around $419, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Waling it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Waling – 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 Waling. 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.