Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, WA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, WA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,522 in Arlington, WA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,959 in Arlington, WA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,395 in Arlington, WA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 50% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, WA 84% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.49 $25.49

$8.02 COP 25.3K

217.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$47.87 COP 151.0K

106.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$9.89 COP 31.2K

23.66%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.13 COP 9,873

74.76%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.91 COP 6,019

58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.51 COP 4,763

35.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.12 COP 9,853

57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.75 COP 18.1K

3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.44 COP 4,558

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.49 COP 7,843

50.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.77 COP 5,595

139.55%

Eggs

$6.03 $6.03

$2.96 COP 9,336

103.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$14.30 COP 45.1K

8.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.61 COP 5,073

96.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.25 COP 7,083

150.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$2.25 COP 7,104

188.89%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.04 COP 6,444

114.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.54 COP 4,842

123.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.17 COP 3,691

119.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.31 COP 4,121

127.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.23 $13.23

$3.90 COP 12.3K

239.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 $18.35

$14.01 COP 44.2K

30.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.74 COP 5,498

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.87 COP 9,053

102.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 $10.11

$1.31 COP 4,129

671.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.37 COP 4,306

-16.06%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

29.57%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-32.67%

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

$219 $219

$177 COP 559.3K

23.67%

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

$49.91 $49.91

$13.88 COP 43.8K

259.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.77 $44.77

$29.72 COP 93.8K

50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.85 $32.85

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$16.67 $16.67

$6.65 COP 21.0K

150.68%

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

$1,139 $1,139

$813 COP 2.6M

40.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.85 $37.85

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-57.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.53 $28.53

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-51.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.36 $44.36

$138 COP 435.9K

-67.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$102 COP 322.1K

-22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 $1,558

$1,062 COP 3.3M

46.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$663 COP 2.1M

95.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 $2,869

$1,888 COP 6.0M

51.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$1,027 COP 3.2M

147.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,713 $5,713

$678 COP 2.1M

742.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

10.94

-55.67%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,558 in Arlington, WA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 743% 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: $99.0 in Arlington, WA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $305 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

Arlington, WA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, WA and Medellin differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($2,522 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 743% higher in Arlington, WA, 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: $1,558 in Arlington, WA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,522 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,522 in Arlington, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.