Cost of Living Comparison Between Garden Grove, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Garden Grove, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,608 per month in Garden Grove, CA vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,809 per month in Garden Grove, CA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,010 per month in Garden Grove, CA vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Garden Grove, CA costs about 157% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$5.95 COP 20.8K

235.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 $86.0

$33.33 COP 116.3K

158.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$7.23 COP 25.2K

39.42%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$1.63 COP 5,687

211.04%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.09 COP 3,821

138.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

169.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$1.74 COP 6,065

295.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.23 COP 11.3K

115.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 COP 3,662

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.29 COP 4,515

220.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.32 COP 4,617

259.09%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.27 COP 7,927

101.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 $10.44

$4.35 COP 15.2K

140.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 $8.78

$5.88 COP 20.5K

49.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 $14.73

$8.61 COP 30.0K

71.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.25 COP 7,844

52.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.07 COP 3,733

77.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.52 COP 5,322

157.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.42 COP 4,964

279.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.17 COP 4,084

178.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 COP 4,077

160.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.89 COP 3,096

55.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.90 COP 3,146

131.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$2.25 COP 7,837

337.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$11.04 COP 38.5K

36.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.14 COP 3,977

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.38 COP 8,301

91.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,916

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 $69.0

$41.95 COP 146.4K

64.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.41 COP 4,912

178.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.90 COP 6,634

48.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.25 $32.25

$7.75 COP 27.0K

316.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.01 COP 3,509

22.77%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

37.50%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-7.00%

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

$204 $204

$83.7 COP 292.1K

143.22%

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

$47.15 $47.15

$9.45 COP 33.0K

398.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$24.11 COP 84.1K

195.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.71 $42.71

$25.31 COP 88.3K

68.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 $13.94

$4.10 COP 14.3K

240.00%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$312 COP 1.1M

280.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

556.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-3.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 $35.15

$32.56 COP 113.6K

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 $75.7

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 $85.1

$109 COP 378.8K

-21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$482 COP 1.7M

234.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$379 COP 1.3M

261.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,629 $2,629

$837 COP 2.9M

213.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$723 COP 2.5M

212.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,658 $4,658

$541 COP 1.9M

761.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Garden Grove, CA: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Garden Grove, CA versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 761% higher in Garden Grove, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Garden Grove, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $190 – 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

Garden Grove, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garden Grove, CA costs about 157% 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 $3,913 per month in Garden Grove, CA and $1,525 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,608 in Garden Grove, CA and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Garden Grove, CA at $2,608. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Garden Grove, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $2,608 in Garden Grove, CA. 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, Garden Grove, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.