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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,426 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,555 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,767 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,314 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,108 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,072 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 185% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 228% above, Medellin 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.45 $19.45

$7.59 COP 24.8K

156.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.4 $99.4

$44.78 COP 146.1K

122.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$9.24 COP 30.2K

31.28%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$2.95 COP 9,617

82.03%

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

$3.18 $3.18

$1.80 COP 5,877

76.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.35 COP 4,403

74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$2.93 COP 9,569

180.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$5.46 COP 17.8K

45.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.43 COP 4,676

-20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.39 COP 7,806

91.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$1.60 COP 5,223

345.00%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.88 COP 9,390

71.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

$9.71 COP 31.7K

61.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$9.44 COP 30.8K

50.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 $19.16

$13.24 COP 43.2K

44.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.75 COP 12.3K

88.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.45 COP 4,716

15.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.10 COP 6,848

165.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.13 COP 6,949

201.88%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.92 COP 6,276

129.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.53 COP 4,997

138.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.09 COP 3,558

165.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.18 COP 3,854

142.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.56 $12.56

$3.79 COP 12.4K

231.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 $16.31

$13.16 COP 42.9K

23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.64 COP 5,352

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$2.28 COP 7,430

145.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.18 COP 3,836

101.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 $88.8

$73.6 COP 240.2K

20.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.28 COP 4,168

58.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 COP 6,451

-19.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 $11.20

$7.89 COP 25.8K

41.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.29 COP 4,222

-19.38%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$26.8K COP 87.4M

35.75%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$34.7K COP 113.2M

-24.43%

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

$228 $228

$158 COP 515.0K

44.34%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$13.39 COP 43.7K

299.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$27.28 COP 89.0K

189.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 $74.0

$44.15 COP 144.1K

67.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.18 $30.18

$15.99 COP 52.2K

88.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$6.39 COP 20.8K

134.12%

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

$2,898 $2,898

$777 COP 2.5M

273.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$8,800 COP 28.7M

310.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 $75.7

$82.7 COP 269.9K

-8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 $53.0

$56.1 COP 183.1K

-5.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$131 COP 426.9K

-21.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$95.9 COP 312.9K

48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 $3,371

$1,006 COP 3.3M

235.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$627 COP 2.0M

352.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,252 $5,252

$1,826 COP 6.0M

187.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 $3,468

$969 COP 3.2M

258.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,037 $5,037

$3,907 COP 12.7M

28.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,987 $4,987

$1,576 COP 5.1M

216.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,278 $6,278

$620 COP 2.0M

912.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

10.94

-43.05%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: September 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,371 in Cambridge, MA and $1,006 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 913% 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: $99.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $285 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, MA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 185% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 913% higher in Cambridge, MA, 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: $3,371 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,006 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Cambridge, MA. 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 $45.00 versus $99.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,555 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. 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 $1,555 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.