Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,987 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,464 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,940 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

College Park, MD costs about 195% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

College Park, MD sits 123% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$5.99 COP 21.4K

228.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$32.86 COP 117.4K

147.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$7.09 COP 25.3K

85.19%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$1.71 COP 6,115

224.56%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.10 COP 3,924

152.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.78 COP 2,781

198.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.68 COP 5,997

247.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$3.07 COP 11.0K

149.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.09 COP 3,906

-16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.26 COP 4,508

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$1.38 COP 4,922

428.99%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$2.19 COP 7,827

126.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$4.40 COP 15.7K

327.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$5.63 COP 20.1K

81.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$8.89 COP 31.8K

82.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$2.34 COP 8,349

172.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.06 COP 3,777

64.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.93 $7.93

$1.50 COP 5,374

428.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$1.38 COP 4,924

385.51%

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.15 COP 4,111

323.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.16 COP 4,155

209.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.89 COP 3,182

155.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.84 COP 2,997

184.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.40 $11.40

$2.28 COP 8,145

400.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$10.64 COP 38.0K

30.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 COP 4,284

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.47 COP 8,824

55.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.86 COP 3,056

138.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.47 COP 5,264

200.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.96 COP 7,009

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$7.74 COP 27.6K

280.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.95 COP 3,409

-8.42%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

46.57%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-5.46%

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

$221 $221

$82.3 COP 293.7K

169.08%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$9.50 COP 33.9K

571.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$24.23 COP 86.5K

201.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 $40.02

$25.89 COP 92.4K

54.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$3.93 COP 14.0K

286.01%

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

$1,761 $1,761

$309 COP 1.1M

469.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

307.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-7.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 $31.85

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$103 COP 366.4K

-5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$108 COP 387.2K

64.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$476 COP 1.7M

250.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$379 COP 1.4M

320.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,555 $3,555

$838 COP 3.0M

324.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 $2,765

$724 COP 2.6M

281.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$512 COP 1.8M

1164.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.43

-51.08%

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

Last update for College Park, MD: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in College Park, MD versus $476 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 run about 1164% higher in College Park, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in College Park, MD versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

College Park, MD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,987 in College Park, MD, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 195% apart. College Park, MD costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,480 per month in College Park, MD and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,987 in College Park, MD and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,761 per month in College Park, MD and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in College Park, MD at $2,987. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in College Park, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,987 in College Park, MD. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, College Park, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.