Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,516 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,601 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,686 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Elizabeth City, NC costs about 147% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elizabeth City, NC sits 88% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 $11.94

$5.93 COP 19.0K

101.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 $34.82

$33.12 COP 106.0K

5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$7.12 COP 22.8K

42.56%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$1.71 COP 5,457

208.77%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$1.05 COP 3,356

126.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.72 COP 2,311

172.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 $5.53

$1.72 COP 5,502

221.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.17 COP 10.2K

91.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.06 COP 3,408

-18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.31 COP 4,192

222.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.33 COP 4,256

148.12%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$2.28 COP 7,298

110.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$4.42 COP 14.1K

146.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$5.92 COP 18.9K

95.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$8.64 COP 27.7K

88.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.34 COP 7,504

89.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.10 COP 3,527

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.47 COP 4,698

204.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.38 COP 4,415

212.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.17 COP 3,754

84.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.17 COP 3,744

86.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.90 COP 2,890

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.84 COP 2,693

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.72 $7.72

$2.33 COP 7,449

231.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$11.92 COP 38.1K

28.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.15 COP 3,673

83.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.42 COP 7,749

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.84 COP 2,687

144.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.41 COP 4,517

82.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.91 COP 6,127

-10.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.11 $15.11

$7.83 COP 25.0K

92.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.94 COP 3,020

-13.83%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

67.90%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-3.81%

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

$191 $191

$83.3 COP 266.4K

128.91%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$9.66 COP 30.9K

577.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$24.22 COP 77.5K

143.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.49 $43.49

$25.22 COP 80.7K

72.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$4.07 COP 13.0K

264.86%

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

$1,476 $1,476

$307 COP 981.2K

381.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

295.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-12.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.30 $39.30

$32.65 COP 104.5K

20.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$101 COP 323.5K

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$108 COP 345.7K

27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 $1,601

$476 COP 1.5M

236.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 $1,336

$379 COP 1.2M

252.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$816 COP 2.6M

217.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 $2,190

$707 COP 2.3M

209.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-25.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,249 $2,249

$1,446 COP 4.6M

55.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.43

-51.38%

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

Last update for Elizabeth City, NC: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,601 in Elizabeth City, NC 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 $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 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

Elizabeth City, NC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,516 in Elizabeth City, NC, $1,018 in Medellin – roughly 147% apart. Elizabeth City, NC costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,774 per month in Elizabeth City, NC 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 $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC 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 101% more in Elizabeth City, NC, 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 Elizabeth City, NC at $2,516. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elizabeth City, NC 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 $1,018 in Medellin to $2,516 in Elizabeth City, NC. 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, Elizabeth City, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.