Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, MO and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, MO and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,836 in Columbia, MO versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,808 in Columbia, MO versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,781 in Columbia, MO versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Columbia, MO is roughly 81% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Columbia, MO is 37% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.74 $16.74

$5.99 COP 21.4K

179.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 $59.2

$32.86 COP 117.2K

80.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$7.09 COP 25.3K

83.78%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$1.71 COP 6,105

198.25%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$1.10 COP 3,918

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.78 COP 2,776

152.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.68 COP 5,987

140.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.07 COP 10.9K

58.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.09 COP 3,899

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.26 COP 4,500

150.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.38 COP 4,914

44.93%

Eggs

$2.93 $2.93

$2.19 COP 7,813

33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 $9.01

$4.40 COP 15.7K

104.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 $9.33

$5.63 COP 20.1K

65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$8.89 COP 31.7K

60.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.34 COP 8,334

75.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 COP 3,771

17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.50 COP 5,365

108.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.38 COP 4,915

187.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.15 COP 4,104

38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.16 COP 4,148

114.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.89 COP 3,176

94.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.84 COP 2,992

123.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 $7.16

$2.28 COP 8,131

214.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.80 $16.80

$10.64 COP 37.9K

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.20 COP 4,276

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.47 COP 8,809

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.86 COP 3,051

136.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.47 COP 5,255

108.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.96 COP 6,997

-46.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.12 $22.12

$7.74 COP 27.6K

185.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.95 COP 3,403

-14.74%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

62.80%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-2.12%

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

$185 $185

$82.3 COP 293.2K

124.96%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$9.50 COP 33.9K

442.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$24.23 COP 86.4K

150.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 $27.98

$25.89 COP 92.3K

8.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.40 $16.40

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-13.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$3.93 COP 14.0K

201.27%

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

$1,197 $1,197

$309 COP 1.1M

286.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K $13.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

119.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.83 $32.83

$32.35 COP 115.3K

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 $69.7

$103 COP 365.7K

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 $89.2

$108 COP 386.5K

-17.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 $915

$476 COP 1.7M

92.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 $780

$379 COP 1.4M

106.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 $1,862

$838 COP 3.0M

122.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 $1,423

$724 COP 2.6M

96.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,012 $2,012

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,014 $2,014

$1,211 COP 4.3M

66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,990 $3,990

$512 COP 1.8M

679.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

13.43

-52.72%

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

Last update for Columbia, MO: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $915 in Columbia, MO and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, MO pays 680% 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: $59.0 in Columbia, MO vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 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

Columbia, MO vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Columbia, MO pays 680% 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: $915 in Columbia, MO versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,197 in Columbia, MO 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 $59.0 in Columbia, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,836 in Columbia, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Columbia, MO. 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 Columbia, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Columbia, MO and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Columbia, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.