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: $2,695 in Austin, TX versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,184 in Austin, TX versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,674 in Austin, TX versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 57% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 96% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$8.03 COP 25.1K

146.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$48.26 COP 150.8K

73.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$9.77 COP 30.5K

25.90%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.91 COP 9,095

88.32%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.94 COP 6,074

91.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.52 COP 4,754

55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$3.09 COP 9,663

151.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$5.74 COP 17.9K

59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.36 COP 4,262

-16.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.39 COP 7,460

56.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.70 COP 5,314

101.76%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.87 COP 8,967

51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$9.94 COP 31.1K

32.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$10.78 COP 33.7K

33.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$14.73 COP 46.0K

16.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.09 COP 12.8K

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.57 COP 4,911

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.13 COP 6,642

119.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.21 COP 6,917

124.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.05 COP 6,396

46.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.50 COP 4,700

79.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.19 COP 3,718

55.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.16 COP 3,619

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$3.90 COP 12.2K

142.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.44 COP 45.1K

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.58 COP 4,948

82.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.83 COP 8,836

23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.17 COP 3,650

40.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-47.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.28 COP 4,014

119.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.09 COP 6,537

-24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$8.62 COP 26.9K

308.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.30 COP 4,056

-30.77%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

29.70%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-22.12%

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

$222 $222

$176 COP 550.1K

26.09%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$13.37 COP 41.8K

335.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$29.89 COP 93.4K

131.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 $66.2

$44.76 COP 139.8K

47.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-13.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$6.20 COP 19.4K

122.26%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$793 COP 2.5M

92.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

135.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-36.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 $44.01

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$136 COP 425.9K

-34.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$103 COP 322.2K

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 $1,942

$1,060 COP 3.3M

83.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$680 COP 2.1M

85.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,762 $3,762

$2,012 COP 6.3M

86.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$1,169 COP 3.7M

121.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$4,111 COP 12.8M

80.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,203 $3,203

$1,701 COP 5.3M

88.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,085 $5,085

$665 COP 2.1M

664.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

10.94

-41.13%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,942 in Austin, TX and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 664% 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: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $303 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 57% 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.

Average pay runs 664% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,942 in Austin, TX versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,695 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 92% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,695 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 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 $1,716 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 57% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.