Cost of living in Medellín
Spring weather every day of the year, a cheap two-year nomad visa, and neighbourhood-level safety variance.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $480, Food $358, Transport $50, Utilities $65, Healthcare $16, Lifestyle $105, Other $48.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $480
Salary and tax in Medellín
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $7,741 | $3,200 | $2,422 | 27.4% | $1,300 |
| $75,000 | $19,206 | $6,000 | $4,149 | 33.6% | $3,028 |
| $120,000 | $34,956 | $9,600 | $6,287 | 37.1% | $5,166 |
| $200,000 | $62,956 | $16,000 | $10,087 | 39.5% | $8,966 |
- UVT-indexed brackets approximated in pesos.
People who actually live in Medellín
Quality of life
A year of weather in Medellín
Average monthly temperature in Medellín: January 20.3 degrees, February 20.4 degrees, March 20.6 degrees, April 20.6 degrees, May 20.8 degrees, June 20.6 degrees, July 21.1 degrees, August 21 degrees, September 21.2 degrees, October 20.3 degrees, November 20.2 degrees, December 20.6 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived45%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated55%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Medellín
| Item | USD | COP |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $480 | COP 1,526,440 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $300 | COP 954,025 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $1,000 | COP 3,180,084 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $620 | COP 1,971,652 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $1,800 | COP 5,724,151 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $55 | COP 174,905 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $18 | COP 57,242 |
| Mobile plan | $11 | COP 34,981 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $232 | COP 737,779 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $5.91 | COP 18,794 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $41 | COP 130,383 |
| Coffee | $2.66 | COP 8,459 |
| Beer in a bar | $2.96 | COP 9,413 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $31 | COP 98,583 |
| Taxi, per km | $0.52 | COP 1,654 |
| Petrol, per litre | $1.15 | COP 3,657 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $80 | COP 254,407 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $30 | COP 95,403 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $300 | COP 954,025 |
| International school, per year | $12,000 | COP 38,161,008 |
| Gym membership | $35 | COP 111,303 |
| Cinema ticket | $5.00 | COP 15,900 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
Visa V Nómadas Digitales runs up to two years with a low income threshold (~3x minimum wage).
1 USD ≈ COP 3,180.08
America/Bogota
tropical climate
Compare Medellín with…
Getting set up in Medellín
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Medellín — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Medellín?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $1,121 a month, of which $480 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $1,636, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $3,031.
Is Medellín expensive?
On our index Medellín scores 18 where New York is 100 — about 82% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $450 a month covers 0.4× that budget.
What salary do you need in Medellín?
To cover the single-adult budget of $1,121 a month after tax, you need roughly $17,000 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Medellín?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $480 a month, $300 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $1,000 central and $620 further out.
Can you work remotely from Medellín?
Visa V Nómadas Digitales runs up to two years with a low income threshold (~3x minimum wage).
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.