Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,032 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
Learn more

Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,032

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cedar Rapids, IA and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cedar Rapids, IA and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,032 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $2,032
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $3,053 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $3,053
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $4,074
Medellin $3,186

Cedar Rapids, IA costs about 24% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cedar Rapids, IA and Medellin sit above the global median – Cedar Rapids, IA by 49%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 $14.97

$8.09 COP 25.6K

85.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 $70.5

$47.05 COP 148.9K

49.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$9.50 COP 30.1K

13.68%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$3.01 COP 9,540

90.37%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.80 COP 5,693

56.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.41 COP 4,469

31.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.18 COP 10.0K

43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.75 COP 18.2K

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.51 COP 4,778

-51.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.38 COP 7,524

2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.77 COP 5,606

162.71%

Eggs

$2.44 $2.44

$2.89 COP 9,146

-15.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 $14.35

$10.19 COP 32.2K

40.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$9.87 COP 31.2K

10.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.61 $16.61

$13.99 COP 44.3K

18.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.97 COP 12.6K

28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.55 COP 4,911

-29.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.18 COP 6,907

142.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.18 COP 6,910

110.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.96 COP 6,210

34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.59 COP 5,029

45.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.15 COP 3,625

77.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.24 COP 3,934

79.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$3.96 COP 12.5K

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 $10.90

$13.68 COP 43.3K

-20.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.66 COP 5,252

34.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.26 COP 7,145

44.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 COP 3,696

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 $29.96

$77.4 COP 244.8K

-61.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.27 COP 4,013

180.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.05 COP 6,480

-10.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.55 $45.55

$8.55 COP 27.1K

432.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.35 COP 4,262

-37.78%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$34.1K COP 107.8M

-2.23%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$34.7K COP 109.7M

-22.97%

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

$204 $204

$170 COP 536.8K

20.39%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$13.55 COP 42.9K

303.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$28.07 COP 88.8K

148.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 $70.8

$43.70 COP 138.3K

62.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.31 $19.31

$17.19 COP 54.4K

12.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 $13.21

$6.91 COP 21.9K

91.17%

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

$871 $871

$797 COP 2.5M

9.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 $61.8

$84.7 COP 268.1K

-27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$58.0 COP 183.4K

9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$135 COP 427.1K

-5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$97.9 COP 309.7K

55.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 $1,125

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 $732

$642 COP 2.0M

14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 $1,228

$1,012 COP 3.2M

21.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 $1,774

$4,170 COP 13.2M

-57.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,492 $1,492

$1,910 COP 6.0M

-21.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,701 $3,701

$657 COP 2.1M

463.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

10.94

-39.40%

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

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cedar Rapids, IA

$732 36%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 12.4% $91

Groceries & Markets

Cedar Rapids, IA

$371 18.2%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 19.9% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cedar Rapids, IA

$329 16.2%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 35.7% $118

Eating Out

Cedar Rapids, IA

$274 13.5%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 38.1% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Cedar Rapids, IA

$182 9%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 7.3% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Cedar Rapids, IA

$97 4.8%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 40.8% $40

Getting Around

Cedar Rapids, IA

$47 2.3%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 99.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cedar Rapids, IA are about 5.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

22:45 10:45 PM

Same time as Cedar Rapids, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,710

2,486,723

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cedar Rapids, IA Medellin 4,280 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cedar Rapids, IA
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cedar Rapids, IA is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,048 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,125 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $1,208 in Medellin. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Cedar Rapids, IA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,032 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,032 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cedar Rapids, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.