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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,286 in Columbia, TN versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,435 in Columbia, TN versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Columbia, TN versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Columbia, TN is roughly 36% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, TN 67% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$8.02 COP 25.3K

52.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$47.87 COP 151.0K

23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$9.89 COP 31.2K

2.93%

Cappuccino

$3.83 $3.83

$3.13 COP 9,873

22.36%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.91 COP 6,019

16.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.51 COP 4,763

8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$3.12 COP 9,853

114.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$5.75 COP 18.1K

27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.44 COP 4,558

-36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.49 COP 7,843

16.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.77 COP 5,595

131.64%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$2.96 COP 9,336

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$10.07 COP 31.8K

30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-36.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-6.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$4.14 COP 13.0K

37.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.61 COP 5,073

-22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.25 COP 7,083

162.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.25 COP 7,104

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.04 COP 6,444

51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.54 COP 4,842

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.17 COP 3,691

119.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.31 COP 4,121

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$3.90 COP 12.3K

179.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.74 COP 5,498

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.87 COP 9,053

-42.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.31 COP 4,129

54.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.19 COP 6,899

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 $19.75

$8.71 COP 27.5K

126.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.37 COP 4,306

-48.91%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

31.68%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-26.07%

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

$153 $153

$177 COP 559.3K

-13.82%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$13.88 COP 43.8K

340.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$29.72 COP 93.8K

148.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.66 $35.66

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-20.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$6.65 COP 21.0K

78.50%

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

$592 $592

$813 COP 2.6M

-27.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

174.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 $39.25

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-56.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 $33.19

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$138 COP 435.9K

-41.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$102 COP 322.1K

-10.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$1,062 COP 3.3M

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$663 COP 2.1M

87.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 $2,555

$1,888 COP 6.0M

35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$1,027 COP 3.2M

128.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,484 $2,484

$678 COP 2.1M

266.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.11

10.94

-44.15%

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

Last update for Columbia, TN: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Columbia, TN and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, TN pays 267% 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, TN vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $305 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, TN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 267% higher in Columbia, TN, 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: $1,358 in Columbia, TN versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $592 in Columbia, TN versus $813 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 $48.00 versus $59.0 in Columbia, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,286 in Columbia, TN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Columbia, TN. 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, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Columbia, TN 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 36% less than in Columbia, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.