Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,659 in Austin, TX versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,101 in Austin, TX versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,542 in Austin, TX versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 163% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 98% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$5.99 COP 21.3K

227.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$32.86 COP 116.9K

128.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 $9.92

$7.09 COP 25.2K

39.92%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$1.71 COP 6,093

231.58%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.10 COP 3,910

151.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.78 COP 2,771

178.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.68 COP 5,976

247.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$3.07 COP 10.9K

153.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.09 COP 3,892

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.26 COP 4,492

170.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.38 COP 4,905

148.55%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$2.19 COP 7,799

100.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$4.40 COP 15.7K

171.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$5.63 COP 20.0K

91.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.29 $14.29

$8.89 COP 31.6K

60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.34 COP 8,319

106.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.06 COP 3,764

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.50 COP 5,355

197.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.38 COP 4,906

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.15 COP 4,097

138.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.16 COP 4,141

136.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.89 COP 3,170

129.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.84 COP 2,986

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.93 $8.93

$2.28 COP 8,116

291.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$10.64 COP 37.9K

39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.20 COP 4,268

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.47 COP 8,793

44.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.86 COP 3,045

70.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.98 $42.98

$41.40 COP 147.3K

3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.47 COP 5,245

191.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.96 COP 6,984

-6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.54 $35.54

$7.74 COP 27.5K

359.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.95 COP 3,397

-24.21%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

41.86%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-1.24%

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

$174 $174

$82.3 COP 292.7K

111.10%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$9.50 COP 33.8K

534.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$24.23 COP 86.2K

173.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$25.89 COP 92.1K

142.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.83 $9.83

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-48.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$3.93 COP 14.0K

287.79%

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

$1,387 $1,387

$309 COP 1.1M

348.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

271.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 $45.34

$32.35 COP 115.1K

40.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$103 COP 365.1K

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$108 COP 385.8K

9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 $2,247

$476 COP 1.7M

371.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$379 COP 1.3M

277.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 $3,778

$838 COP 3.0M

350.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,641 $2,641

$724 COP 2.6M

264.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$2,791 COP 9.9M

152.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 $3,162

$1,211 COP 4.3M

160.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,108 $5,108

$512 COP 1.8M

898.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

13.43

-51.97%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,247 in Austin, TX and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 898% 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: $75.0 in Austin, TX vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 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

Austin, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Austin, TX pays 898% 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: $2,247 in Austin, TX versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,659 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,659 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.