Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,655 per month in Allentown, PA vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,798 per month in Allentown, PA vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,942 per month in Allentown, PA vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Allentown, PA costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Allentown, PA and Medellin sit above the global median – Allentown, PA by 93%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.65 $19.65

$8.04 COP 24.8K

144.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 $91.1

$48.29 COP 148.6K

88.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$9.42 COP 29.0K

26.01%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$2.94 COP 9,040

101.02%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.86 COP 5,735

42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.46 COP 4,479

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.21 COP 9,882

53.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.71 COP 17.6K

2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.44 COP 4,428

-20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.40 COP 7,389

-7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.70 COP 5,228

48.24%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$2.89 COP 8,896

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.50 $15.50

$10.06 COP 30.9K

54.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 $8.32

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-16.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$14.20 COP 43.7K

25.49%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.98 COP 12.3K

51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.58 COP 4,878

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.15 COP 6,624

34.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.30 COP 7,078

178.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.00 COP 6,169

30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.51 COP 4,646

113.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.20 COP 3,701

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.28 COP 3,946

99.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$3.84 COP 11.8K

201.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$14.01 COP 43.1K

6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.71 COP 5,256

29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.74 COP 8,440

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.25 COP 3,834

76.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-23.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.31 COP 4,016

133.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.42 $42.42

$8.29 COP 25.5K

411.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.36 COP 4,172

-22.79%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

26.66%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-30.64%

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

$190 $190

$169 COP 519.2K

12.86%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$13.57 COP 41.8K

297.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$28.32 COP 87.2K

151.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.95 $31.95

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.10 $25.10

$17.22 COP 53.0K

45.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$6.65 COP 20.5K

94.74%

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

$1,201 $1,201

$803 COP 2.5M

49.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

33.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.70 $38.70

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-55.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 $53.5

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$139 COP 427.5K

-36.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$102 COP 314.0K

16.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 $1,577

$1,071 COP 3.3M

47.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$653 COP 2.0M

110.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$1,925 COP 5.9M

19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 $2,039

$1,048 COP 3.2M

94.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-36.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 $2,150

$1,697 COP 5.2M

26.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,895 $2,895

$655 COP 2.0M

342.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

10.94

-42.41%

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

Last update for Allentown, PA: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Allentown, PA versus $1,071 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 342% higher in Allentown, PA, 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 $91.0 in Allentown, PA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $300 – 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

Allentown, PA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Allentown, PA costs about 62% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,982 per month in Allentown, PA and $2,462 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.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,201 per month in Allentown, PA and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Allentown, PA at $2,655. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Allentown, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,641 versus $2,655 in Allentown, PA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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