Cost of Living Comparison Between Central Valley, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Central Valley, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,594 in Central Valley, NY versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,752 in Central Valley, NY versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,910 in Central Valley, NY versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Central Valley, NY is roughly 155% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Central Valley, NY is 93% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.19 $19.19

$5.95 COP 20.8K

222.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$33.33 COP 116.3K

127.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$7.23 COP 25.2K

50.62%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$1.63 COP 5,687

211.04%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

169.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.74 COP 6,065

239.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 $7.06

$3.23 COP 11.3K

118.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.05 COP 3,662

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.29 COP 4,515

179.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.32 COP 4,617

230.30%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.27 COP 7,927

87.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$4.35 COP 15.2K

180.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.31 $11.31

$5.88 COP 20.5K

92.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$8.61 COP 30.0K

76.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.25 COP 7,844

119.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.07 COP 3,733

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.52 COP 5,322

176.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.42 COP 4,964

238.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.17 COP 4,084

148.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.17 COP 4,077

141.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.89 COP 3,096

125.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.90 COP 3,146

134.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 $9.51

$2.25 COP 7,837

322.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.09 $16.09

$11.04 COP 38.5K

45.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.14 COP 3,977

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.38 COP 8,301

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.84 COP 2,916

135.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.41 COP 4,912

153.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.90 COP 6,634

-16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.69 $28.69

$7.75 COP 27.0K

270.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.01 COP 3,509

-15.84%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

70.48%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-2.58%

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

$186 $186

$83.7 COP 292.1K

122.86%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$9.45 COP 33.0K

467.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$24.11 COP 84.1K

177.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.43 $43.43

$25.31 COP 88.3K

71.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 $13.28

$4.10 COP 14.3K

223.90%

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

$1,310 $1,310

$312 COP 1.1M

320.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

292.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-11.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.04 $40.04

$32.56 COP 113.6K

22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$109 COP 378.8K

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$482 COP 1.7M

235.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$379 COP 1.3M

253.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$837 COP 2.9M

218.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$723 COP 2.5M

212.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-14.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$1,223 COP 4.3M

87.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for Central Valley, NY: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,620 in Central Valley, NY and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Central Valley, NY vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $190 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

Central Valley, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,891 in Central Valley, NY and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,620 in Central Valley, NY versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,310 in Central Valley, NY versus $312 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 $76.0 in Central Valley, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,594 in Central Valley, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Central Valley, NY. 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 Central Valley, NY, 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 155% less than in Central Valley, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.