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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $324 per month in Waling vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $541 per month in Waling vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $757 per month in Waling vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Waling is about 81% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Waling sits 76% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 NPR 296

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-75.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.39 NPR 3,085

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-57.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 NPR 989

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-33.06%

Cappuccino

$1.60 NPR 242

$2.91 COP 9,095

-45.02%

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

$0.55 NPR 83.6

$1.94 COP 6,074

-71.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.70

$1.52 COP 4,754

-89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 NPR 509

$3.09 COP 9,663

8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 NPR 560

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-35.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 115

$1.36 COP 4,262

-44.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 NPR 72.8

$2.39 COP 7,460

-79.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 NPR 140

$1.70 COP 5,314

-45.29%

Eggs

$1.29 NPR 195

$2.87 COP 8,967

-55.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 NPR 978

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 NPR 393

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-75.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.31 NPR 500

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-77.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 NPR 318

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-48.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 NPR 115

$1.57 COP 4,911

-51.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 NPR 202

$2.13 COP 6,642

-37.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 NPR 87.9

$2.21 COP 6,917

-73.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 56.9

$2.05 COP 6,396

-81.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 NPR 56.1

$1.50 COP 4,700

-75.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 NPR 69.4

$1.19 COP 3,718

-61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 32.82

$1.16 COP 3,619

-81.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 NPR 403

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 NPR 784

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 NPR 349

$1.58 COP 4,948

46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 NPR 445

$2.83 COP 8,836

3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 NPR 301

$1.28 COP 4,014

55.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 NPR 194

$2.09 COP 6,537

-38.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 NPR 487

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-62.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 NPR 210

$1.30 COP 4,056

6.92%

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

$29.5K NPR 4.5M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

6.68%

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

$36.2K NPR 5.5M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

1.96%

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

$32.28 NPR 4,884

$176 COP 550.1K

-81.67%

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

$3.31 NPR 501

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-75.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.78 NPR 1,178

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-73.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 NPR 458

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-51.13%

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

$67.4 NPR 10.2K

$793 COP 2.5M

-91.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,826 NPR 730.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-46.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 NPR 3,997

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-69.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.16 NPR 4,260

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-51.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 NPR 10.0K

$136 COP 425.9K

-51.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.65 NPR 4,485

$103 COP 322.2K

-71.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 NPR 163.4K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-73.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 NPR 189.7K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-26.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

10.94

-11.15%

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

Last update for Waling: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Waling versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $121 vs $303 – 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 429%, 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 $487 per month in Waling and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Waling and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% 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 $324, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.