Cost of Living Comparison Between Asheville, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Asheville, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,073 in Asheville, NC versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,593 in Asheville, NC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,112 in Asheville, NC versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Asheville, NC is roughly 203% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Asheville, NC is 129% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.93 $21.93

$5.99 COP 21.4K

266.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$32.86 COP 117.4K

209.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$7.09 COP 25.3K

40.34%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$1.71 COP 6,115

233.92%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.10 COP 3,924

132.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.78 COP 2,781

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 $7.33

$1.68 COP 5,997

336.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.39 $9.39

$3.07 COP 11.0K

205.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.09 COP 3,906

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.26 COP 4,508

241.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.38 COP 4,922

206.52%

Eggs

$3.57 $3.57

$2.19 COP 7,827

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.90 $13.90

$4.40 COP 15.7K

215.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$5.63 COP 20.1K

134.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 $15.64

$8.89 COP 31.8K

75.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.34 COP 8,349

88.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.06 COP 3,777

55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.50 COP 5,374

161.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.38 COP 4,924

234.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.15 COP 4,111

134.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.16 COP 4,155

189.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.89 COP 3,182

166.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.84 COP 2,997

169.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.47 $7.47

$2.28 COP 8,145

227.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$10.64 COP 38.0K

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.20 COP 4,284

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.47 COP 8,824

90.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.86 COP 3,056

83.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 $50.7

$41.40 COP 147.9K

22.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.47 COP 5,264

204.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.96 COP 7,009

62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.20 $42.20

$7.74 COP 27.6K

445.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.95 COP 3,409

-11.58%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

89.90%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-9.40%

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

$172 $172

$82.3 COP 293.7K

109.23%

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

$66.9 $66.9

$9.50 COP 33.9K

604.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.4 $98.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

305.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 $42.95

$25.89 COP 92.4K

65.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.65 $28.65

$19.00 COP 67.9K

50.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 $13.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

231.55%

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

$2,588 $2,588

$309 COP 1.1M

736.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K $25.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

331.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 $57.6

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.51 $49.51

$32.35 COP 115.5K

53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$103 COP 366.4K

17.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$108 COP 387.2K

46.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$476 COP 1.7M

333.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$379 COP 1.4M

326.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,056 $4,056

$838 COP 3.0M

383.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,977 $2,977

$724 COP 2.6M

311.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,267 $4,267

$2,791 COP 10.0M

52.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,255 $3,255

$1,211 COP 4.3M

168.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,579 $3,579

$512 COP 1.8M

599.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

13.43

-51.82%

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

Last update for Asheville, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,063 in Asheville, NC and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Asheville, NC pays 599% 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: $102 in Asheville, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $188 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

Asheville, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asheville, NC and Medellin differ by about 203% in total monthly costs ($3,073 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Asheville, NC pays 599% more on average, 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: $2,063 in Asheville, NC versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 23% less than in Asheville, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,588 in Asheville, NC versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,073 in Asheville, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Asheville, NC. 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 203% less than in Asheville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.