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: $1,843 in Cambridge versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Cambridge versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,852 in Cambridge versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 9% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 34% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.70 NZ$24.68

$7.89 COP 24.2K

86.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 NZ$58.3

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-21.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 NZ$14.99

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.91 NZ$4.88

$2.90 COP 8,874

0.34%

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

$2.06 NZ$3.46

$1.81 COP 5,541

13.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NZ$3.33

$1.55 COP 4,741

27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 NZ$7.88

$3.25 COP 9,962

44.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 NZ$11.99

$5.88 COP 18.0K

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.77

$1.38 COP 4,230

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 NZ$3.72

$2.45 COP 7,517

-9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.15

$1.51 COP 4,617

24.50%

Eggs

$6.28 NZ$10.55

$2.78 COP 8,516

125.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 NZ$14.50

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-4.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 NZ$16.77

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-6.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 NZ$22.94

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.39

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-34.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.64

$1.38 COP 4,219

57.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.07

$2.30 COP 7,056

5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.04

$2.02 COP 6,185

48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.69

$2.09 COP 6,390

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.91

$1.63 COP 4,996

6.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.50

$1.08 COP 3,313

92.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$1.99

$1.25 COP 3,843

-5.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.59 NZ$48.01

$4.03 COP 12.4K

609.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 NZ$17.47

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 NZ$4.52

$1.60 COP 4,904

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NZ$5.65

$3.00 COP 9,189

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 NZ$2.92

$1.18 COP 3,611

47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 NZ$132

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-1.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NZ$3.91

$1.61 COP 4,920

44.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NZ$3.44

$2.13 COP 6,533

-3.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.21 NZ$55.8

$8.52 COP 26.1K

289.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.74

$1.35 COP 4,142

20.74%

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

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-6.24%

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

$24.0K NZ$40.3K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-32.76%

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

$107 NZ$179

$151 COP 463.8K

-29.53%

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

$28.20 NZ$47.35

$13.10 COP 40.1K

115.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 NZ$64.4

$32.30 COP 99.0K

18.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 NZ$73.2

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-5.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 NZ$22.86

$6.43 COP 19.7K

111.66%

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

$1,204 NZ$2,023

$835 COP 2.6M

44.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K NZ$36.0K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

141.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 NZ$133

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 NZ$74.2

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-20.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 NZ$153

$137 COP 418.5K

-33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$195

$109 COP 335.1K

6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 NZ$1,598

$952 COP 2.9M

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 NZ$1,420

$668 COP 2.0M

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 NZ$2,632

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 NZ$2,608

$1,148 COP 3.5M

35.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,919 NZ$8,260

$3,696 COP 11.3M

33.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,470 NZ$5,827

$1,586 COP 4.9M

118.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,730 NZ$4,584

$625 COP 1.9M

336.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.43

-48.90%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Cambridge pays 336% 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: $35.00 in Cambridge vs $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $313 vs $297, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 336% 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: $952 in Cambridge versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,843 per month in Cambridge versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 1% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,843 in Cambridge, a $2,500 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.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 9% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.