Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlisle, PA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlisle, PA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,649 in Carlisle, PA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,785 in Carlisle, PA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,921 in Carlisle, PA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Carlisle, PA is 98% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 $15.26

$5.99 COP 21.5K

154.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.47 $45.47

$32.86 COP 118.1K

38.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 $14.16

$7.09 COP 25.5K

99.72%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$1.71 COP 6,154

216.37%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.10 COP 3,949

84.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.78 COP 2,798

202.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.68 COP 6,035

106.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 $5.49

$3.07 COP 11.0K

78.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.09 COP 3,930

-11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.26 COP 4,536

142.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$1.38 COP 4,953

347.10%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$2.19 COP 7,876

121.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 $18.85

$4.40 COP 15.8K

328.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$5.63 COP 20.2K

85.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$8.89 COP 32.0K

82.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.34 COP 8,401

123.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.06 COP 3,801

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$1.50 COP 5,408

364.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$1.38 COP 4,955

371.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.15 COP 4,137

198.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.16 COP 4,181

131.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.89 COP 3,202

156.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.84 COP 3,016

196.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 $10.54

$2.28 COP 8,196

362.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 $13.99

$10.64 COP 38.2K

31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.20 COP 4,311

117.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.47 COP 8,880

97.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.86 COP 3,075

138.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.47 COP 5,297

140.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.96 COP 7,053

-15.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.92 $28.92

$7.74 COP 27.8K

273.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.95 COP 3,430

-9.47%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

61.72%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-2.39%

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

$210 $210

$82.3 COP 295.6K

154.89%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$9.50 COP 34.1K

552.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 $73.6

$24.23 COP 87.1K

203.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.37 $43.37

$25.89 COP 93.0K

67.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$3.93 COP 14.1K

275.83%

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

$1,770 $1,770

$309 COP 1.1M

472.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

295.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-8.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 $61.9

$32.35 COP 116.2K

91.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 $97.0

$103 COP 368.7K

-5.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 $193

$108 COP 389.6K

77.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 $1,598

$476 COP 1.7M

235.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$379 COP 1.4M

262.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 $2,609

$838 COP 3.0M

211.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 $2,225

$724 COP 2.6M

207.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,659 $5,659

$512 COP 1.8M

1005.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

13.43

-50.78%

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

Last update for Carlisle, PA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Carlisle, PA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carlisle, PA pays 1006% 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: $45.00 in Carlisle, PA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $188 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

Carlisle, PA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Carlisle, PA pays 1006% 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: $1,598 in Carlisle, PA versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,770 in Carlisle, PA versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $45.00 in Carlisle, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,649 in Carlisle, PA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Carlisle, PA. 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 Carlisle, PA, 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 162% less than in Carlisle, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.