Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, MA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, MA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,618 per month in Ashland, MA vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,861 per month in Ashland, MA vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,104 per month in Ashland, MA vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Ashland, MA costs about 157% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ashland, MA sits 96% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 $25.08

$5.93 COP 19.0K

322.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$33.12 COP 106.0K

205.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$7.12 COP 22.8K

66.99%

Cappuccino

$4.23 $4.23

$1.71 COP 5,457

147.37%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.05 COP 3,356

165.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.72 COP 2,311

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$1.72 COP 5,502

241.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.17 COP 10.2K

122.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 COP 3,408

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.31 COP 4,192

158.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$1.33 COP 4,256

311.28%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.28 COP 7,298

106.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.23 $19.23

$4.42 COP 14.1K

335.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$5.92 COP 18.9K

125.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.65 $14.65

$8.64 COP 27.7K

69.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.34 COP 7,504

58.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.10 COP 3,527

28.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.47 COP 4,698

168.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.38 COP 4,415

185.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.17 COP 3,754

167.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.17 COP 3,744

109.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.90 COP 2,890

106.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.84 COP 2,693

95.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.18 $13.18

$2.33 COP 7,449

465.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.92 COP 38.1K

24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.15 COP 3,673

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.42 COP 7,749

5.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.84 COP 2,687

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.41 COP 4,517

107.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.91 COP 6,127

11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 $29.01

$7.83 COP 25.0K

270.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.94 COP 3,020

-3.19%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

56.70%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-7.28%

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

$195 $195

$83.3 COP 266.4K

134.37%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$9.66 COP 30.9K

451.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$24.22 COP 77.5K

168.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.75 $42.75

$25.22 COP 80.7K

69.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$4.07 COP 13.0K

272.73%

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

$1,285 $1,285

$307 COP 981.2K

319.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

399.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.04 $48.04

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-19.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.48 $33.48

$32.65 COP 104.5K

2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.8 $53.8

$101 COP 323.5K

-46.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$108 COP 345.7K

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 $1,605

$476 COP 1.5M

237.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$379 COP 1.2M

259.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,621 $2,621

$816 COP 2.6M

221.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 $2,192

$707 COP 2.3M

209.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 $2,741

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-14.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$1,446 COP 4.6M

66.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

13.43

-52.49%

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

Last update for Ashland, MA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,605 in Ashland, MA versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Ashland, MA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $192 – 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

Ashland, MA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashland, MA costs about 157% 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 $3,926 per month in Ashland, MA and $1,527 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,618 in Ashland, MA and $1,018 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,285 per month in Ashland, MA and $307 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Ashland, MA at $2,618. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashland, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $2,618 in Ashland, MA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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