Cost of Living Comparison Between California, MD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between California, MD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in California, MD vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,713 per month in California, MD vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,843 per month in California, MD vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

California, MD costs about 158% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

California, MD sits 94% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.13 $9.13

$5.91 COP 18.6K

54.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$32.96 COP 103.8K

142.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$7.43 COP 23.4K

34.19%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$1.65 COP 5,207

249.70%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.10 COP 3,468

161.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.78 COP 2,458

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.72 COP 5,412

227.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.18 COP 10.0K

118.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.10 COP 3,474

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.26 COP 3,962

153.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.38 COP 4,349

55.07%

Eggs

$5.00 $5.00

$2.18 COP 6,858

129.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$4.49 COP 14.1K

189.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.27 $10.27

$5.79 COP 18.2K

77.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$8.97 COP 28.2K

24.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.32 COP 7,308

90.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.06 COP 3,352

66.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.52 COP 4,774

195.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$1.36 COP 4,270

388.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.13 COP 3,552

218.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.17 COP 3,689

130.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.90 COP 2,838

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.90 COP 2,823

115.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$2.23 COP 7,034

315.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 $14.16

$12.12 COP 38.2K

16.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.19 COP 3,743

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.48 COP 7,815

99.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.85 COP 2,687

150.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.3 $80.3

$41.62 COP 131.0K

92.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.42 COP 4,459

184.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.95 COP 6,141

-28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.91 $28.91

$7.89 COP 24.8K

266.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.99 COP 3,118

-12.12%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

68.38%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-12.71%

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

$209 $209

$83.0 COP 261.4K

151.93%

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

$42.04 $42.04

$9.70 COP 30.5K

333.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$23.52 COP 74.1K

196.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.20 $40.20

$25.26 COP 79.5K

59.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 $11.07

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-42.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$3.95 COP 12.4K

276.96%

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

$2,250 $2,250

$316 COP 994.2K

612.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

295.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 $46.95

$31.82 COP 100.2K

47.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 $97.0

$102 COP 320.1K

-4.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$107 COP 338.3K

26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,736 $1,736

$475 COP 1.5M

265.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$374 COP 1.2M

252.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,506 $2,506

$849 COP 2.7M

195.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$719 COP 2.3M

190.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,872 $6,872

$3,265 COP 10.3M

110.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,210 $6,210

$1,441 COP 4.5M

331.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,015 $7,015

$624 COP 2.0M

1023.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

13.43

-51.75%

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

Last update for California, MD: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,736 in California, MD 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 1023% higher in California, MD, 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 $80.0 in California, MD versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 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

California, MD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – California, MD is pricier by about 158%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,874 per month in California, MD 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.

Groceries cost about 93% more in California, MD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in California, MD and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in California, MD at $2,583. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in California, MD 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.

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