Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,038 in Cary, NC versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,477 in Cary, NC versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,916 in Cary, NC versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 195% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cary, NC is 127% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.06 $18.06

$6.16 COP 20.1K

193.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$32.60 COP 106.1K

202.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 $10.56

$7.34 COP 23.9K

43.87%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.72 COP 5,600

203.49%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$1.05 COP 3,420

98.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.77 COP 2,515

141.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$1.69 COP 5,488

189.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.17 COP 10.3K

112.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.05 COP 3,423

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.61 $5.61

$1.30 COP 4,236

331.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$1.40 COP 4,544

330.71%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$2.16 COP 7,047

109.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 $20.88

$4.39 COP 14.3K

375.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$5.88 COP 19.1K

112.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$8.64 COP 28.1K

107.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.28 COP 7,426

155.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.11 COP 3,604

58.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.53 COP 4,983

179.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$1.35 COP 4,410

402.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.13 COP 3,674

125.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.13 COP 3,692

203.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.85 COP 2,753

243.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.91 COP 2,975

116.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$2.34 COP 7,630

300.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.20 COP 3,909

90.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.49 COP 8,104

98.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.84 COP 2,728

126.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

46.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.42 COP 4,623

151.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.92 COP 6,235

-14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$7.66 COP 24.9K

281.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.99 COP 3,223

-20.20%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

65.16%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

7.38%

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

$171 $171

$80.8 COP 263.1K

111.05%

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

$49.09 $49.09

$9.95 COP 32.4K

393.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

158.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$25.08 COP 81.7K

201.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 $13.72

$3.98 COP 13.0K

244.72%

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

$1,484 $1,484

$305 COP 993.5K

386.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

285.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.87 $48.87

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-15.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.38 $32.38

$32.20 COP 104.8K

0.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$101 COP 327.9K

25.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$108 COP 350.8K

27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$477 COP 1.6M

271.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$376 COP 1.2M

321.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$845 COP 2.7M

214.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$730 COP 2.4M

276.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-12.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$1,372 COP 4.5M

95.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,861 $5,861

$617 COP 2.0M

850.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

13.43

-53.02%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,770 in Cary, NC and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 850% 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 Cary, NC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $193 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

Cary, NC 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 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 850% higher in Cary, NC, 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: $1,770 in Cary, NC versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,484 in Cary, NC versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,038 in Cary, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. 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 Cary, NC, 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 195% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.