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: $2,531 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,619 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,707 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 149% more expensive than in 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

$15.19 $15.19

$5.93 COP 19.0K

156.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$33.12 COP 106.0K

127.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 $7.95

$7.12 COP 22.8K

11.66%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$1.71 COP 5,457

173.68%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.05 COP 3,356

152.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.72 COP 2,311

201.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$1.72 COP 5,502

251.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.17 COP 10.2K

93.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.06 COP 3,408

-27.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.31 COP 4,192

154.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.33 COP 4,256

66.92%

Eggs

$2.69 $2.69

$2.28 COP 7,298

17.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 $16.80

$4.42 COP 14.1K

280.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$5.92 COP 18.9K

72.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.64 COP 27.7K

63.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.34 COP 7,504

50.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.10 COP 3,527

-46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.47 COP 4,698

201.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$1.38 COP 4,415

276.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.17 COP 3,754

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.17 COP 3,744

134.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.90 COP 2,890

84.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.84 COP 2,693

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$2.33 COP 7,449

332.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 $13.69

$11.92 COP 38.1K

14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.15 COP 3,673

72.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.42 COP 7,749

17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.84 COP 2,687

145.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.54 $23.54

$40.83 COP 130.7K

-42.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.41 COP 4,517

109.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.91 COP 6,127

-19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.76 $26.76

$7.83 COP 25.0K

241.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.94 COP 3,020

-5.32%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

43.72%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-11.13%

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

$156 $156

$83.3 COP 266.4K

86.92%

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

$48.26 $48.26

$9.66 COP 30.9K

399.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$24.22 COP 77.5K

176.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 $42.61

$25.22 COP 80.7K

68.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 $12.56

$4.07 COP 13.0K

208.60%

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

$1,958 $1,958

$307 COP 981.2K

538.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K $20.1K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

236.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$32.65 COP 104.5K

5.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$101 COP 323.5K

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$108 COP 345.7K

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$476 COP 1.5M

234.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$379 COP 1.2M

250.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$816 COP 2.6M

221.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$707 COP 2.3M

211.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,390 $2,390

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,247 $2,247

$1,446 COP 4.6M

55.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Big Rapids, MI and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Big Rapids, MI vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $192 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 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,796 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,527 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: $1,591 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 86% 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 $75.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,531 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 149% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.