Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astoria, NY and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $3,298 in Astoria, NY, rent and utilities included – about $20,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Astoria, NY
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Astoria, NY Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Astoria, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,298

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astoria, NY and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Astoria, NY and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,298 in Astoria, NY versus $1,614 in Medellin.

Astoria, NY $3,298
Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,650 in Astoria, NY versus $2,402 in Medellin.

Astoria, NY $4,650
Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,002 in Astoria, NY versus $3,190 in Medellin.

Astoria, NY $6,002
Medellin $3,190

Living in Astoria, NY is roughly 104% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Astoria, NY 144% above, Medellin 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 $19.30

$7.93 COP 25.2K

143.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$46.13 COP 146.3K

74.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$9.50 COP 30.1K

6.53%

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$3.11 COP 9,866

46.62%

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

$1.69 $1.69

$1.83 COP 5,800

-7.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.38 COP 4,360

36.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.05 COP 9,672

66.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.50 COP 17.4K

46.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.45 COP 4,600

-22.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.36 COP 7,496

61.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.68 COP 5,328

118.45%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$2.86 COP 9,077

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$10.19 COP 32.3K

64.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$9.53 COP 30.2K

-4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 $13.37

$14.04 COP 44.5K

-4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.07 COP 12.9K

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.50 COP 4,742

25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.17 COP 6,891

19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.31 COP 7,310

71.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.93 COP 6,113

27.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.64 COP 5,196

48.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.13 COP 3,571

80.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.25 COP 3,954

99.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.17 $15.17

$3.99 COP 12.6K

280.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$13.35 COP 42.3K

52.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.70 COP 5,384

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.37 COP 7,525

43.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.21 COP 3,827

153.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$76.5 COP 242.5K

82.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.32 COP 4,179

122.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.14 COP 6,774

-0.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.52 $41.52

$8.47 COP 26.8K

390.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.30 COP 4,114

-28.46%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$28.0K COP 88.7M

25.58%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$35.4K COP 112.3M

-28.74%

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

$113 $113

$172 COP 545.6K

-34.18%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$13.37 COP 42.4K

329.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$28.73 COP 91.1K

76.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 $45.62

$45.24 COP 143.5K

0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$20.18 $20.18

$6.28 COP 19.9K

221.34%

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

$2,578 $2,578

$770 COP 2.4M

234.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K $34.8K

$9,011 COP 28.6M

285.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.10 $25.10

$86.4 COP 274.0K

-70.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.11 $20.11

$57.1 COP 181.1K

-64.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.80 $29.80

$137 COP 432.9K

-78.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 $50.9

$97.9 COP 310.4K

-47.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$1,055 COP 3.3M

122.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 $2,091

$616 COP 2.0M

239.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,812 $3,812

$1,892 COP 6.0M

101.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,225 $3,225

$1,023 COP 3.2M

215.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

10.94

-41.04%

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

Last update for Astoria, NY: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Astoria, NY

$2.1K 63.4%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 70.6% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Astoria, NY

$382 11.6%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 22.9% $88

Eating Out

Astoria, NY

$295 9%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 43% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astoria, NY

$221 6.7%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 3.2% $7.2

Getting Around

Astoria, NY

$165 5%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 43.5% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Astoria, NY

$86 2.6%

Medellin

$58 3.6% 32.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Astoria, NY

$57 1.7%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 200% $113

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,347 in Astoria, NY and $1,055 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Astoria, NY vs $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $295 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Astoria, NY

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

08:35 8:35 AM

07:35 7:35 AM

1 h behind Astoria, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,165

2,486,723

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Astoria, NY Medellin 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Astoria, NY
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Astoria, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Astoria, NY and Medellin differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($3,298 vs $1,614 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,947 in Astoria, NY and $2,421 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,347 in Astoria, NY versus $1,055 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,298 per month in Astoria, NY versus $1,614 in Medellin – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 82% less than in Astoria, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,614 in Medellin versus $3,298 in Astoria, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Astoria, NY. 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, Astoria, NY 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 104% less than in Astoria, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.