Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Cambridge versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Cambridge versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Cambridge versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 139% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 84% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 CA$20.85

$6.16 COP 20.1K

140.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 CA$91.7

$32.60 COP 106.1K

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 CA$14.07

$7.34 COP 23.9K

36.24%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.18

$1.72 COP 5,599

113.95%

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

$2.21 CA$3.11

$1.05 COP 3,420

110.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$0.77 COP 2,515

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.21

$1.69 COP 5,487

245.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.22

$3.17 COP 10.3K

106.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.05 COP 3,423

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.30 COP 4,236

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.21

$1.40 COP 4,544

113.57%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.16 COP 7,046

48.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.20

$4.39 COP 14.3K

97.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.81

$5.88 COP 19.1K

103.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 CA$19.35

$8.64 COP 28.1K

59.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.28 COP 7,425

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.11 COP 3,603

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$1.53 COP 4,982

140.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.51

$1.35 COP 4,410

189.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$1.13 COP 3,674

141.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$1.13 COP 3,692

117.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$0.85 COP 2,753

163.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$0.91 COP 2,975

72.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.40 CA$18.85

$2.34 COP 7,629

472.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 CA$17.24

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.44

$1.20 COP 3,909

104.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.45

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$0.84 COP 2,727

204.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 CA$93.7

$40.57 COP 132.1K

64.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$1.42 COP 4,623

83.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.40

$1.92 COP 6,235

-10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 CA$33.54

$7.66 COP 24.9K

211.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$0.99 COP 3,223

12.12%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

40.86%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.82%

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

$151 CA$212

$80.8 COP 263.1K

86.68%

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

$39.94 CA$56.2

$9.95 COP 32.4K

301.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 CA$76.1

$24.18 COP 78.7K

123.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 CA$41.94

$25.08 COP 81.6K

18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.26

$3.98 COP 13.0K

190.20%

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

$556 CA$782

$305 COP 993.4K

82.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

72.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$78.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-4.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.68 CA$48.80

$32.20 COP 104.8K

7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 CA$99.4

$101 COP 327.9K

-29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 COP 350.8K

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 CA$1,984

$477 COP 1.6M

195.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 CA$1,938

$376 COP 1.2M

266.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 CA$3,776

$845 COP 2.7M

217.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,993

$730 COP 2.4M

191.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,165 CA$5,861

$3,215 COP 10.5M

29.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,848 CA$5,414

$1,372 COP 4.5M

180.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,231

$617 COP 2.0M

387.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

13.43

-50.56%

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

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Cambridge and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 387% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 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

Cambridge vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 387% higher in Cambridge, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,410 in Cambridge versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,462 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.