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: $2,448 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,576 in Big Rapids, MI versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,704 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Big Rapids, MI is roughly 138% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Big Rapids, MI is 83% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 $15.69

$5.92 COP 21.2K

165.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$33.17 COP 118.7K

123.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.25 COP 25.9K

9.24%

Cappuccino

$4.63 $4.63

$1.71 COP 6,137

170.76%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.09 COP 3,915

136.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.77 COP 2,743

175.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$1.75 COP 6,254

249.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.18 COP 11.4K

90.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.06 COP 3,792

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.30 COP 4,657

146.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.38 COP 4,926

57.25%

Eggs

$2.62 $2.62

$2.21 COP 7,908

18.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$4.52 COP 16.2K

267.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$5.80 COP 20.7K

70.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$8.97 COP 32.1K

56.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.29 COP 8,182

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.06 COP 3,791

-41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.51 COP 5,411

201.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$1.36 COP 4,869

283.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.16 COP 4,146

96.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.17 COP 4,174

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.83 COP 2,960

103.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.85 COP 3,043

158.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 $9.85

$2.35 COP 8,423

319.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 $13.52

$11.09 COP 39.7K

21.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.15 COP 4,133

79.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.47 COP 8,853

18.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.79 COP 2,827

154.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.78 $23.78

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-43.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.44 COP 5,140

112.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.90 COP 6,793

-20.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.11 $26.11

$7.70 COP 27.6K

239.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.03 COP 3,680

-12.62%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

47.70%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-12.26%

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

$160 $160

$81.4 COP 291.4K

96.94%

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

$48.09 $48.09

$9.42 COP 33.7K

410.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$23.77 COP 85.1K

184.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 $43.15

$25.86 COP 92.6K

66.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$12.42 $12.42

$4.05 COP 14.5K

206.67%

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

$1,900 $1,900

$312 COP 1.1M

508.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

229.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 $35.67

$32.82 COP 117.5K

8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$100 COP 359.6K

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$106 COP 380.3K

-3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$490 COP 1.8M

223.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 $1,339

$371 COP 1.3M

261.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$838 COP 3.0M

214.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,265 $2,265

$715 COP 2.6M

216.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-19.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,379 $2,379

$1,394 COP 5.0M

70.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,584 in Big Rapids, MI and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Big Rapids, MI vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $190 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 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,673 in Big Rapids, MI and $1,544 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: $1,584 in Big Rapids, MI versus $490 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 $74.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,448 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 138% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.