Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,538 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,607 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,676 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Brookings, SD costs about 150% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brookings, SD sits 89% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 $17.56

$5.95 COP 20.8K

195.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.13 $40.13

$33.33 COP 116.3K

20.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 $11.59

$7.23 COP 25.2K

60.30%

Cappuccino

$4.37 $4.37

$1.63 COP 5,687

168.10%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.09 COP 3,821

124.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.73 COP 2,548

180.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.74 COP 6,065

238.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.23 COP 11.3K

117.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.05 COP 3,662

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.29 COP 4,515

186.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$1.32 COP 4,617

320.45%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.27 COP 7,927

84.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$4.35 COP 15.2K

158.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.03 $14.03

$5.88 COP 20.5K

138.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 $11.81

$8.61 COP 30.0K

37.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$2.25 COP 7,844

186.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.07 COP 3,733

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.97 $6.97

$1.52 COP 5,322

358.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$1.42 COP 4,964

287.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.17 COP 4,084

171.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.17 COP 4,077

211.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.89 COP 3,096

189.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.90 COP 3,146

101.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.14 $12.14

$2.25 COP 7,837

439.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 $12.17

$11.04 COP 38.5K

10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.14 COP 3,977

97.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.38 COP 8,301

105.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.84 COP 2,916

130.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.41 COP 4,912

235.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.90 COP 6,634

-8.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.37 $24.37

$7.75 COP 27.0K

214.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.01 COP 3,509

-8.91%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

68.60%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-0.44%

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

$163 $163

$83.7 COP 292.1K

94.37%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

436.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

185.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 $42.15

$25.31 COP 88.3K

66.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 $12.23

$4.10 COP 14.3K

198.29%

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

$1,619 $1,619

$312 COP 1.1M

418.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K $26.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

344.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.79 $42.79

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-26.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.43 $34.43

$32.56 COP 113.6K

5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$109 COP 378.8K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$482 COP 1.7M

226.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 $1,355

$379 COP 1.3M

257.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 $2,676

$837 COP 2.9M

219.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$723 COP 2.5M

210.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,743 $2,743

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-3.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,071 $3,071

$1,223 COP 4.3M

151.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.43

-59.05%

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

Last update for Brookings, SD: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Brookings, SD versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Brookings, SD versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $190 – 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

Brookings, SD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brookings, SD costs about 150% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,807 per month in Brookings, SD and $1,525 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Brookings, SD and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Brookings, SD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Brookings, SD at $2,538. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brookings, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $2,538 in Brookings, SD. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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