Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,723 per month in Washington, DC vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,945 per month in Washington, DC vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,167 per month in Washington, DC vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Washington, DC costs about 266% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Washington, DC sits 177% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.42 $27.42

$5.95 COP 21.2K

360.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$33.33 COP 118.9K

253.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$7.23 COP 25.8K

68.33%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$1.63 COP 5,811

260.74%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$1.09 COP 3,904

175.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.73 COP 2,604

272.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$1.74 COP 6,197

371.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$3.23 COP 11.5K

207.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.05 COP 3,742

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.29 COP 4,614

256.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$1.32 COP 4,718

425.76%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$2.27 COP 8,101

92.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$4.35 COP 15.5K

312.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.44 $15.44

$5.88 COP 21.0K

162.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 $19.85

$8.61 COP 30.7K

130.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.25 COP 8,015

168.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.07 COP 3,814

85.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.52 COP 5,438

252.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$1.42 COP 5,073

366.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.17 COP 4,173

196.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.17 COP 4,166

217.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.89 COP 3,163

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.90 COP 3,215

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.32 $12.32

$2.25 COP 8,008

447.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 $16.29

$11.04 COP 39.4K

47.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.14 COP 4,063

152.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.38 COP 8,483

89.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.84 COP 2,979

220.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 $73.8

$41.95 COP 149.6K

75.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.41 COP 5,019

182.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.90 COP 6,779

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 $30.03

$7.75 COP 27.6K

287.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.01 COP 3,586

-3.96%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

68.87%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

-0.98%

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

$206 $206

$83.7 COP 298.4K

146.55%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$9.45 COP 33.7K

532.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$24.11 COP 86.0K

187.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 $111

$25.31 COP 90.3K

339.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.44 $38.44

$19.14 COP 68.3K

100.84%

Cinema Ticket

$17.03 $17.03

$4.10 COP 14.6K

315.37%

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

$2,654 $2,654

$312 COP 1.1M

750.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

565.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 $78.9

$58.0 COP 207.0K

35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$32.56 COP 116.1K

54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.6 COP 355.3K

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$109 COP 387.1K

31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,593 $2,593

$482 COP 1.7M

437.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 $2,050

$379 COP 1.4M

440.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,998 $5,998

$837 COP 3.0M

616.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,240 $4,240

$723 COP 2.6M

486.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,526 $8,526

$2,840 COP 10.1M

200.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,297 $3,297

$1,223 COP 4.4M

169.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,120 $7,120

$541 COP 1.9M

1216.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

13.43

-51.75%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,593 in Washington, DC 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 1216% higher in Washington, DC, 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 $118 in Washington, DC versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 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

Washington, DC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Washington, DC is pricier by about 266%, 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 $5,584 per month in Washington, DC 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 $118 in Washington, DC 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 $3,723 in Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC at $3,723. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Washington, DC 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Washington, DC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.