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 $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,677 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,927 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 162% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge, MA 223% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$7.89 COP 24.5K

156.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$44.53 COP 138.0K

126.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$9.29 COP 28.8K

40.15%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$2.90 COP 8,973

80.69%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.81 COP 5,603

60.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.55 COP 4,794

52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.25 COP 10.1K

152.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$5.88 COP 18.2K

39.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.38 COP 4,277

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.45 COP 7,601

73.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$1.51 COP 4,668

296.03%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$2.78 COP 8,612

78.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$9.05 COP 28.0K

67.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.65 COP 33.0K

31.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.99 $18.99

$14.63 COP 45.3K

29.80%

Apples (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$3.97 COP 12.3K

76.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.38 COP 4,267

-3.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.30 COP 7,135

142.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$2.02 COP 6,255

222.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.09 COP 6,461

19.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.63 COP 5,052

104.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.08 COP 3,350

76.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.25 COP 3,886

123.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.67 $12.67

$4.03 COP 12.5K

214.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$13.47 COP 41.7K

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.60 COP 4,959

14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$3.00 COP 9,292

81.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.18 COP 3,652

104.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 $90.1

$79.9 COP 247.7K

12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.61 COP 4,976

65.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.13 COP 6,606

-16.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.10 $28.10

$8.52 COP 26.4K

229.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.35 COP 4,189

-23.70%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.3K COP 87.8M

26.59%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.7K COP 110.6M

-29.08%

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

$179 $179

$151 COP 469.0K

18.55%

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

$43.14 $43.14

$13.10 COP 40.6K

229.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 $52.9

$32.30 COP 100.1K

63.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 $73.6

$46.33 COP 143.5K

58.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.78 $29.78

$17.26 COP 53.5K

72.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$6.43 COP 19.9K

131.73%

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

$2,898 $2,898

$835 COP 2.6M

247.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$8,887 COP 27.5M

304.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 $79.6

$89.3 COP 276.8K

-10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$55.3 COP 171.4K

-8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$137 COP 423.2K

-25.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$109 COP 338.9K

27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,424 $3,424

$952 COP 3.0M

259.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 $2,851

$668 COP 2.1M

326.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$2,020 COP 6.3M

165.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,491 $3,491

$1,148 COP 3.6M

203.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,997 $4,997

$3,696 COP 11.5M

35.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,931 $4,931

$1,586 COP 4.9M

211.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,179 $6,179

$625 COP 1.9M

887.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.05

10.43

-41.99%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,424 in Cambridge, MA and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 888% 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: $101 in Cambridge, MA vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $474 vs $297 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 162% 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 888% 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: $3,424 in Cambridge, MA versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% 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 $101 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $2,500 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 $1,687 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 162% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.