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: $4,369 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,627 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,884 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 323% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge, MA is 226% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 $16.87

$5.92 COP 21.4K

184.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$32.75 COP 118.2K

205.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$7.20 COP 26.0K

65.69%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$1.70 COP 6,140

214.12%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$1.10 COP 3,966

169.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.72 COP 2,605

234.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$1.67 COP 6,022

386.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.10 COP 11.2K

152.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.06 COP 3,809

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.25 COP 4,497

212.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$1.39 COP 5,022

355.40%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$2.26 COP 8,168

108.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.40 $15.40

$4.33 COP 15.6K

255.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 $13.66

$5.84 COP 21.1K

133.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$8.83 COP 31.9K

136.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$2.24 COP 8,099

200.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.08 COP 3,882

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$1.53 COP 5,522

324.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$1.37 COP 4,950

367.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.13 COP 4,078

197.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.12 COP 4,036

222.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.85 COP 3,057

191.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$0.91 COP 3,281

186.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 $13.77

$2.33 COP 8,414

490.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 $17.05

$11.13 COP 40.2K

53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.19 COP 4,309

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 $5.45

$2.37 COP 8,553

129.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.79 COP 2,838

212.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 $91.0

$41.13 COP 148.5K

121.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.44 COP 5,184

77.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.91 COP 6,901

-9.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.84 $27.84

$8.02 COP 28.9K

247.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.94 COP 3,385

-9.57%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

61.82%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-6.49%

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

$161 $161

$84.0 COP 303.1K

91.70%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$9.60 COP 34.7K

456.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 $55.3

$24.16 COP 87.2K

128.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.4 $99.4

$25.88 COP 93.4K

284.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.40 $30.40

$19.04 COP 68.7K

59.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$3.92 COP 14.1K

288.27%

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

$2,845 $2,845

$306 COP 1.1M

828.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

355.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$57.9 COP 209.1K

13.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$31.82 COP 114.9K

41.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 COP 386.8K

34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 $2,792

$487 COP 1.8M

473.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,900 $2,900

$368 COP 1.3M

687.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,183 $5,183

$826 COP 3.0M

527.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,480 $3,480

$716 COP 2.6M

385.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,054 $5,054

$2,925 COP 10.6M

72.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,906 $4,906

$1,407 COP 5.1M

248.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,310 $6,310

$546 COP 2.0M

1056.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

13.43

-52.12%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,792 in Cambridge, MA and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 1057% 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: $100 in Cambridge, MA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $190 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 323% 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.

Cambridge, MA pays 1057% more on average, 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: $2,792 in Cambridge, MA versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% 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 $33.00 versus $100 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $4,369 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 $1,034 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 323% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.