Cost of Living Comparison Between Ann Arbor, MI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ann Arbor, MI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,717 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,233 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,749 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Ann Arbor, MI is roughly 58% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ann Arbor, MI 98% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.56 $18.56

$8.03 COP 25.1K

131.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$48.26 COP 150.8K

24.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$9.77 COP 30.5K

23.95%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$2.91 COP 9,095

74.23%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$1.94 COP 6,074

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.52 COP 4,754

38.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.09 COP 9,663

107.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.74 COP 17.9K

39.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.36 COP 4,262

-30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.39 COP 7,460

60.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.70 COP 5,314

191.76%

Eggs

$3.75 $3.75

$2.87 COP 8,967

30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$9.94 COP 31.1K

93.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$10.78 COP 33.7K

24.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$14.73 COP 46.0K

1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$4.09 COP 12.8K

68.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.57 COP 4,911

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.13 COP 6,642

77.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.21 COP 6,917

99.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.05 COP 6,396

15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.50 COP 4,700

92.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.19 COP 3,718

104.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.16 COP 3,619

69.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$3.90 COP 12.2K

156.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$14.44 COP 45.1K

2.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.58 COP 4,948

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.83 COP 8,836

32.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.17 COP 3,650

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.52 $45.52

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-41.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.28 COP 4,014

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.09 COP 6,537

-24.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.71 $26.71

$8.62 COP 26.9K

209.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.30 COP 4,056

-21.54%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

29.65%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.84%

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

$196 $196

$176 COP 550.1K

11.57%

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

$57.5 $57.5

$13.37 COP 41.8K

329.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$29.89 COP 93.4K

144.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 $64.3

$44.76 COP 139.8K

43.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.60 $19.60

$17.06 COP 53.3K

14.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$6.20 COP 19.4K

108.87%

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

$2,025 $2,025

$793 COP 2.5M

155.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K $20.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

122.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-35.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 $42.91

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-26.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$136 COP 425.9K

-16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$103 COP 322.2K

2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$1,060 COP 3.3M

95.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$680 COP 2.1M

108.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,881 $3,881

$2,012 COP 6.3M

92.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$1,169 COP 3.7M

127.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,420 $5,420

$4,111 COP 12.8M

31.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 $2,518

$1,701 COP 5.3M

48.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$665 COP 2.1M

623.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

10.94

-44.42%

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

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,070 in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ann Arbor, MI pays 624% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Ann Arbor, MI vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $303 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Ann Arbor, MI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ann Arbor, MI and Medellin differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($2,717 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 624% higher in Ann Arbor, MI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,070 in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $60.0 in Ann Arbor, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,717 per month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,717 in Ann Arbor, MI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ann Arbor, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ann Arbor, MI and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ann Arbor, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.