Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,528 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,681 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,835 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 150% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Big Rapids, MI is 89% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$5.99 COP 21.5K

154.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$32.86 COP 118.1K

131.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.09 COP 25.5K

13.82%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$1.71 COP 6,154

173.68%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.10 COP 3,949

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.78 COP 2,798

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$1.68 COP 6,035

255.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.07 COP 11.0K

99.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.09 COP 3,930

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.26 COP 4,536

167.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.38 COP 4,953

60.14%

Eggs

$2.71 $2.71

$2.19 COP 7,876

23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$4.40 COP 15.8K

275.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.01 $10.01

$5.63 COP 20.2K

77.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$8.89 COP 32.0K

57.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.34 COP 8,401

43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.06 COP 3,801

-42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.50 COP 5,408

197.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$1.38 COP 4,955

263.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.15 COP 4,137

93.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.16 COP 4,181

135.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.89 COP 3,202

92.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.84 COP 3,016

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.15 $10.15

$2.28 COP 8,196

345.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.23 $13.23

$10.64 COP 38.2K

24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.20 COP 4,311

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.47 COP 8,880

12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.86 COP 3,075

131.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 $24.02

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-41.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.47 COP 5,297

108.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.96 COP 7,053

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 $26.76

$7.74 COP 27.8K

245.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.95 COP 3,430

-7.37%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

44.10%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-7.87%

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

$156 $156

$82.3 COP 295.6K

90.05%

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

$49.48 $49.48

$9.50 COP 34.1K

420.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$24.23 COP 87.1K

179.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 $42.50

$25.89 COP 93.0K

64.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.26 $12.26

$3.93 COP 14.1K

211.96%

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

$1,918 $1,918

$309 COP 1.1M

519.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

235.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.70 $35.70

$32.35 COP 116.2K

10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 $84.0

$103 COP 368.7K

-18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$108 COP 389.6K

-8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 $1,571

$476 COP 1.7M

229.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$379 COP 1.4M

259.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$838 COP 3.0M

213.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$724 COP 2.6M

211.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,882 $2,882

$2,791 COP 10.0M

3.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,412 $2,412

$1,211 COP 4.4M

99.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

13.43

-57.71%

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

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,571 in Big Rapids, MI and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Big Rapids, MI vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 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

Big Rapids, MI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 150% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,792 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,519 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: $1,571 in Big Rapids, MI versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Big Rapids, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $76.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,528 in Big Rapids, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Big Rapids, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Big Rapids, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Big Rapids, MI 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 150% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.