Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,570 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,919 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Elizabeth, NJ is roughly 88% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elizabeth, NJ 134% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.11 $20.11

$8.03 COP 25.1K

150.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$48.26 COP 150.8K

65.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$9.77 COP 30.5K

20.57%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$2.91 COP 9,095

86.94%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$1.94 COP 6,074

17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.52 COP 4,754

-3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.09 COP 9,663

163.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$5.74 COP 17.9K

23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.36 COP 4,262

-7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.39 COP 7,460

92.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$1.70 COP 5,314

248.24%

Eggs

$7.08 $7.08

$2.87 COP 8,967

146.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$9.94 COP 31.1K

52.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 $11.39

$10.78 COP 33.7K

5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$14.73 COP 46.0K

36.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$4.09 COP 12.8K

51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.57 COP 4,911

86.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.13 COP 6,642

99.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.21 COP 6,917

143.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.05 COP 6,396

52.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.50 COP 4,700

142.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.19 COP 3,718

146.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.16 COP 3,619

125.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.29 $15.29

$3.90 COP 12.2K

292.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$14.44 COP 45.1K

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.58 COP 4,948

86.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.83 COP 8,836

24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.17 COP 3,650

76.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 $77.1

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.28 COP 4,014

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.09 COP 6,537

3.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.27 $42.27

$8.62 COP 26.9K

390.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.30 COP 4,056

-21.54%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

28.47%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-28.91%

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

$267 $267

$176 COP 550.1K

51.81%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$13.37 COP 41.8K

285.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$29.89 COP 93.4K

70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.88 $41.88

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$20.06 $20.06

$6.20 COP 19.4K

223.55%

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

$1,762 $1,762

$793 COP 2.5M

122.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

79.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 $73.8

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.8 $80.8

$58.5 COP 182.7K

38.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$136 COP 425.9K

-9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$103 COP 322.2K

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,161 $2,161

$1,060 COP 3.3M

103.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 $1,728

$680 COP 2.1M

154.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$2,012 COP 6.3M

31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,528 $2,528

$1,169 COP 3.7M

116.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-33.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,382 $2,382

$1,701 COP 5.3M

40.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,280 $5,280

$665 COP 2.1M

693.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

10.94

-42.23%

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

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 694% 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: $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $478 vs $303 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

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

Elizabeth, NJ and Medellin differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($3,222 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 694% higher in Elizabeth, NJ, 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: $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,762 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.