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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,596 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,080 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,564 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Cookeville, TN costs about 155% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cookeville, TN sits 94% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.85 $21.85

$5.93 COP 19.0K

268.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.29 $49.29

$33.12 COP 106.0K

48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 $8.17

$7.12 COP 22.8K

14.75%

Cappuccino

$4.55 $4.55

$1.71 COP 5,457

166.08%

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

$6.56 $6.56

$1.05 COP 3,356

524.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.72 COP 2,311

136.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.72 COP 5,502

256.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.17 COP 10.2K

29.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.06 COP 3,408

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.31 COP 4,192

-20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.33 COP 4,256

149.62%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.28 COP 7,298

74.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 $12.13

$4.42 COP 14.1K

174.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 $7.48

$5.92 COP 18.9K

26.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$8.64 COP 27.7K

75.81%

Apples (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$2.34 COP 7,504

279.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.10 COP 3,527

52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.47 COP 4,698

87.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.38 COP 4,415

144.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.17 COP 3,754

57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.17 COP 3,744

104.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.90 COP 2,890

162.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.84 COP 2,693

211.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 $14.26

$2.33 COP 7,449

512.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 $12.42

$11.92 COP 38.1K

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.15 COP 3,673

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.42 COP 7,749

64.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 COP 2,687

134.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 $6.12

$1.41 COP 4,517

334.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.91 COP 6,127

-68.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.00 $29.00

$7.83 COP 25.0K

270.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.94 COP 3,020

-14.89%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

97.00%

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

$39.0K $39.0K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

44.18%

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

$323 $323

$83.3 COP 266.4K

288.19%

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

$44.54 $44.54

$9.66 COP 30.9K

361.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 $105

$24.22 COP 77.5K

332.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 $35.51

$25.22 COP 80.7K

40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.24 $37.24

$19.33 COP 61.9K

92.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$4.07 COP 13.0K

200.25%

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

$734 $734

$307 COP 981.2K

139.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

298.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 $45.55

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 $64.9

$32.65 COP 104.5K

98.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 $137

$101 COP 323.5K

35.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$108 COP 345.7K

32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 $1,209

$476 COP 1.5M

154.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$379 COP 1.2M

215.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$816 COP 2.6M

335.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 $2,839

$707 COP 2.3M

301.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,766 $2,766

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-13.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,220 $2,220

$1,446 COP 4.6M

53.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

13.43

-51.97%

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

Last update for Cookeville, TN: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Cookeville, TN 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cookeville, TN versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $192 – 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

Cookeville, TN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cookeville, TN costs about 155% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,894 per month in Cookeville, TN and $1,527 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cookeville, TN and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 80% more in Cookeville, TN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Cookeville, TN at $2,596. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cookeville, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $2,596 in Cookeville, TN. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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