Line-item prices collected from EPM bills, supermarket receipts, and actual furnished-rental contracts — not averages scraped from the internet. Three honest budgets, from frugal to premium.
A single person lives well in Medellín on USD $1,400–2,000/month in 2026. A furnished 1-bedroom runs $585–1,100/month in Laureles, Envigado or Belén, or $850–1,600 in El Poblado. Utilities are unusually low because the 22°C "eternal spring" climate eliminates heating and most air-conditioning. The two numbers that surprise newcomers: the estrato system (your building's stratum, 1–6, sets your utility rates) and how cheap transit is — the metro costs about $0.85 a ride.
Ranges below are for 30+ night stays, all-in (rent + admin fee), from contracts we see on the platform and comparable local listings. Short-stay (nightly) pricing runs 40–80% higher.
| Zone | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | Who picks it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Poblado (Provenza, Manila, Astorga) | $680–1,100 | $850–1,600 | $1,300–2,400 | First-timers, nightlife, walk-to-everything |
| Laureles–Estadio | $540–800 | $680–1,100 | $950–1,500 | The value consensus: flat, walkable, local |
| Envigado | $480–730 | $585–975 | $850–1,350 | Quieter, family-friendly, own metro stops |
| Belén | $390–585 | $440–730 | $680–1,000 | Best pure value; very local; estratos 3–4 |
| Sabaneta | $420–630 | $490–780 | $730–1,100 | South-valley small-town feel on the metro line |
Note the "$" throughout this page = USD at 4,100 COP. Prices shift with the exchange rate — a 10% peso move changes every dollar figure here.
Every address in Colombia carries an estrato (stratum) from 1 to 6. Estratos 5–6 — most of El Poblado — pay a surcharge on utilities that subsidizes estratos 1–3. The identical kWh costs roughly 40–60% more in a Poblado estrato-6 tower than in a Belén estrato-3 building. In Medellín one company, EPM, bills electricity, water and gas together.
| Monthly item (1BR, 1–2 people) | COP | USD |
|---|---|---|
| EPM bill (power + water + gas), estrato 3–4 | 180,000–300,000 | $44–73 |
| EPM bill, estrato 5–6 (El Poblado) | 280,000–450,000 | $68–110 |
| Fiber internet 300–500 Mbps (EPM/Tigo/Claro) | 95,000–150,000 | $23–37 |
| Mobile prepaid 20–40 GB (Claro/Tigo/WOM) | 25,000–45,000 | $6–11 |
On RentiHome monthly rentals, utilities and internet are typically included in the all-in price — ask before you assume, everywhere else.
| Menú del día (soup + main + juice), local restaurant | 15,000–22,000 COP ($3.70–5.40) |
| Dinner main, Provenza/El Poblado restaurant | 45,000–90,000 COP ($11–22) |
| Specialty coffee (Pergamino, Café Velvet class) | 7,000–13,000 COP ($1.70–3.20) |
| Groceries, single person — D1/Ara heavy | 700,000–900,000 COP ($170–220) |
| Groceries, single person — Éxito/Carulla mix | 950,000–1,300,000 COP ($230–315) |
| Metro ride (Cívica card, incl. Metrocable transfer) | ≈3,500 COP ($0.85) |
| Taxi minimum / typical cross-town | 7,500 / 15,000–28,000 COP |
| Gym — Smart Fit / boutique studio | 95,000–115,000 / 250,000–400,000 COP |
| Coworking hot desk, monthly (Tinkko, Selina, WeWork) | 450,000–750,000 COP ($110–185) |
| Domestic help, per half-day visit | 70,000–100,000 COP ($17–24) |
| Frugal — Belén/Estadio | Comfortable — Laureles/Envigado | Premium — El Poblado | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furnished 1BR | $470 | $850 | $1,450 |
| Utilities + internet + mobile | $75 | $95 | $140 |
| Food (groceries + eating out) | $260 | $430 | $750 |
| Transport | $45 | $80 | $160 |
| Gym / coworking / leisure | $70 | $220 | $480 |
| Monthly total | ≈ $920 | ≈ $1,675 | ≈ $2,980 |
Excludes health insurance (expat plans, e.g. SURA: $60–150/mo age-dependent) and flights. Couples: add ~55–65%, not 100% — rent and utilities are shared.
Prices verified July 2026 against EPM tariff tables, Metro de Medellín's published Cívica fare, supermarket shelf prices (D1, Éxito, Carulla), coworking rate cards, and furnished-rental contracts on RentiHome and comparable local platforms. USD figures use 4,100 COP/USD. We re-verify quarterly; the badge at the top shows the last check.
Tell us your dates and budget — we'll match you with a verified furnished apartment, direct from the host, typically 20–30% below Airbnb.