Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brainerd, MN and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,351 in Brainerd, MN versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,128 in Brainerd, MN versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,905 in Brainerd, MN versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Brainerd, MN is roughly 134% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brainerd, MN is 77% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.27 $14.27

$5.91 COP 18.6K

141.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$32.96 COP 103.8K

96.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$7.43 COP 23.4K

36.07%

Cappuccino

$1.93 $1.93

$1.65 COP 5,207

16.97%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$1.10 COP 3,468

110.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.78 COP 2,458

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$1.72 COP 5,412

258.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.18 COP 10.0K

87.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.10 COP 3,474

-6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.26 COP 3,962

165.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.38 COP 4,349

183.33%

Eggs

$2.51 $2.51

$2.18 COP 6,858

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 $9.18

$4.49 COP 14.1K

104.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$5.79 COP 18.2K

45.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$8.97 COP 28.2K

36.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.32 COP 7,308

112.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.06 COP 3,352

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$1.52 COP 4,774

273.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$1.36 COP 4,270

270.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.13 COP 3,552

237.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.17 COP 3,689

210.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.90 COP 2,838

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.90 COP 2,823

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 $10.43

$2.23 COP 7,034

367.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.19 COP 3,743

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.48 COP 7,815

76.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.85 COP 2,687

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.80 $39.80

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-4.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.42 COP 4,459

114.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.95 COP 6,141

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 $29.41

$7.89 COP 24.8K

272.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.99 COP 3,118

-18.18%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

98.37%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-4.77%

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

$218 $218

$83.0 COP 261.4K

163.16%

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

$44.46 $44.46

$9.70 COP 30.5K

358.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$23.52 COP 74.1K

151.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.85 $42.85

$25.26 COP 79.5K

69.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 $8.85

$3.95 COP 12.4K

124.05%

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

$1,207 $1,207

$316 COP 994.2K

282.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

396.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.33 $38.33

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.92 $41.92

$31.82 COP 100.2K

31.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 $60.1

$102 COP 320.1K

-40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 $64.8

$107 COP 338.3K

-39.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$475 COP 1.5M

231.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 $1,179

$374 COP 1.2M

215.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,601 $2,601

$849 COP 2.7M

206.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 $1,523

$719 COP 2.3M

111.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-26.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,393 $2,393

$1,441 COP 4.5M

66.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

13.43

-52.12%

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

Last update for Brainerd, MN: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Brainerd, MN and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Brainerd, MN vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $193 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

Brainerd, MN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 134% lower than in Brainerd, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,527 in Brainerd, MN and $1,504 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: $1,573 in Brainerd, MN versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $65.0 in Brainerd, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,351 per month in Brainerd, MN versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,351 in Brainerd, MN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Brainerd, MN. 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 $1,003 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 134% less than in Brainerd, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.