Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloomington, IN and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloomington, IN and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,364 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,209 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,055 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Bloomington, IN costs about 136% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bloomington, IN sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.20 $15.20

$5.91 COP 18.9K

157.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$32.96 COP 105.2K

81.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 $8.11

$7.43 COP 23.7K

9.15%

Cappuccino

$4.49 $4.49

$1.65 COP 5,276

172.12%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.10 COP 3,514

94.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.78 COP 2,491

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.72 COP 5,484

198.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.18 COP 10.1K

77.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.10 COP 3,521

-30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.26 COP 4,015

78.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.38 COP 4,407

184.78%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$2.18 COP 6,950

51.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$4.49 COP 14.3K

133.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 $9.30

$5.79 COP 18.5K

60.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$8.97 COP 28.6K

73.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.32 COP 7,405

87.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.06 COP 3,397

19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.52 COP 4,838

48.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.36 COP 4,327

199.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.13 COP 3,599

79.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.17 COP 3,738

161.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.90 COP 2,876

103.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.90 COP 2,861

56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 $7.97

$2.23 COP 7,128

257.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 $11.07

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.19 COP 3,793

55.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.48 COP 7,920

-25.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.85 COP 2,723

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.73 $29.73

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-28.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.42 COP 4,518

157.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.95 COP 6,223

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.31 $18.31

$7.89 COP 25.2K

132.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.99 COP 3,160

-14.14%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

69.17%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-4.46%

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

$121 $121

$83.0 COP 264.9K

45.16%

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

$57.7 $57.7

$9.70 COP 30.9K

495.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 $55.8

$23.52 COP 75.0K

137.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.27 $39.27

$25.26 COP 80.6K

55.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 $10.07

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-47.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$3.95 COP 12.6K

208.61%

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

$1,536 $1,536

$316 COP 1.0M

386.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K $17.1K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

185.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.42 $40.42

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-32.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 $39.48

$31.82 COP 101.5K

24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$102 COP 324.4K

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$107 COP 342.8K

-5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 $1,577

$475 COP 1.5M

232.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 $1,309

$374 COP 1.2M

249.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 $2,249

$849 COP 2.7M

164.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$719 COP 2.3M

136.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 $2,136

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-34.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,441 COP 4.6M

50.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,542 $3,542

$624 COP 2.0M

467.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for Bloomington, IN: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,577 in Bloomington, IN versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 467% higher in Bloomington, IN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Bloomington, IN versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bloomington, IN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bloomington, IN is pricier by about 136%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,545 per month in Bloomington, IN and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,536 per month in Bloomington, IN and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Bloomington, IN at $2,364. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bloomington, IN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bloomington, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.