Cost of Living Comparison Between Brooklyn, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brooklyn, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,412 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,540 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,668 per month in Brooklyn, NY vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Brooklyn, NY costs about 163% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Brooklyn, NY and Medellin sit above the global median – Brooklyn, NY by 223%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 $20.14

$8.02 COP 25.4K

151.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$47.87 COP 152.0K

111.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$9.89 COP 31.4K

19.41%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.13 COP 9,937

80.51%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.91 COP 6,058

31.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.51 COP 4,794

37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$3.12 COP 9,917

161.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$5.75 COP 18.3K

55.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.44 COP 4,587

13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.49 COP 7,894

94.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.77 COP 5,631

306.78%

Eggs

$6.42 $6.42

$2.96 COP 9,396

116.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.83 $16.83

$10.07 COP 32.0K

67.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.85 $16.85

$10.12 COP 32.1K

66.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.29 $20.29

$14.30 COP 45.4K

41.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$4.14 COP 13.1K

92.27%

Banana (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.61 COP 5,106

136.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.25 COP 7,129

144.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.25 COP 7,150

159.56%

Potato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.04 COP 6,486

101.47%

Onion (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.54 COP 4,873

209.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.17 COP 3,715

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.31 COP 4,148

95.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.23 $15.23

$3.90 COP 12.4K

290.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.92 $20.92

$14.01 COP 44.5K

49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.74 COP 5,534

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.87 COP 9,112

15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.22 COP 3,858

142.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$141 $141

$80.5 COP 255.5K

74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.31 COP 4,155

122.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 $42.45

$8.71 COP 27.7K

387.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.37 COP 4,334

-14.60%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

25.40%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-29.00%

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

$242 $242

$177 COP 562.9K

36.49%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$13.88 COP 44.1K

290.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 $62.7

$29.72 COP 94.4K

110.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 $105

$44.88 COP 142.5K

134.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.64 $35.64

$17.12 COP 54.4K

108.18%

Cinema Ticket

$19.69 $19.69

$6.65 COP 21.1K

196.09%

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

$2,454 $2,454

$813 COP 2.6M

201.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K $34.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

270.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-24.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.4 $77.4

$59.0 COP 187.2K

31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$138 COP 438.8K

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$102 COP 324.2K

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,566 $3,566

$1,062 COP 3.4M

235.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,626 $2,626

$663 COP 2.1M

296.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,415 $7,415

$1,888 COP 6.0M

292.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,616 $4,616

$1,027 COP 3.3M

349.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K $13.6K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

224.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,809 $7,809

$1,675 COP 5.3M

366.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,753 $3,753

$678 COP 2.2M

453.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

10.94

-42.14%

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

Last update for Brooklyn, NY: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,566 in Brooklyn, NY versus $1,062 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 454% higher in Brooklyn, NY, 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 $101 in Brooklyn, NY versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $553 vs $305 – 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

Brooklyn, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 163% apart. Brooklyn, NY costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,618 per month in Brooklyn, NY and $2,521 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 $101 in Brooklyn, NY and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Brooklyn, NY at $4,412. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brooklyn, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Brooklyn, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,681 in Medellin to $4,412 in Brooklyn, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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