Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, AZ and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,173 in Glendale, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Glendale, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,173
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Glendale, AZ and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Glendale, AZ and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,173 per month in Glendale, AZ vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Glendale, AZ $2,173
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $3,425 per month in Glendale, AZ vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Glendale, AZ $3,425
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $4,676 per month in Glendale, AZ vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Glendale, AZ $4,676
  • Medellin $3,190

Glendale, AZ costs about 35% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Glendale, AZ and Medellin sit above the global median – Glendale, AZ by 61%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.13 $15.13
$7.93 COP 25.2K
90.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.1 $62.1
$46.13 COP 146.3K
34.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.45 $12.45
$9.50 COP 30.1K
31.05%
Cappuccino
$5.38 $5.38
$3.11 COP 9,866
72.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.83 COP 5,800
18.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.38 COP 4,360
42.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.11 $7.11
$3.05 COP 9,672
133.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.21 $7.21
$5.50 COP 17.4K
31.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.45 COP 4,600
-33.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.24 $3.24
$2.36 COP 7,496
37.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.11 $5.11
$1.68 COP 5,328
204.17%
Eggs
$4.54 $4.54
$2.86 COP 9,077
58.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.36 $13.36
$10.19 COP 32.3K
31.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.27 $11.27
$9.53 COP 30.2K
18.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.92 $16.92
$14.04 COP 44.5K
20.51%
Apples (1kg)
$4.57 $4.57
$4.07 COP 12.9K
12.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 $1.87
$1.50 COP 4,742
24.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$2.17 COP 6,891
81.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.12 $4.12
$2.31 COP 7,310
78.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.93 COP 6,113
26.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 $2.91
$1.64 COP 5,196
77.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.13 COP 3,571
88.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.25 COP 3,954
68.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.47 $10.47
$3.99 COP 12.6K
162.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 $13.35
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.70 COP 5,384
4.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.37 COP 7,525
58.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.21 COP 3,827
68.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.32 COP 4,179
106.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 $1.34
$2.14 COP 6,774
-37.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.46 $35.46
$8.47 COP 26.8K
318.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.30 COP 4,114
-21.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K $36.1K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
28.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-26.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$172 COP 545.6K
12.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.28 $48.28
$13.37 COP 42.4K
261.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.4 $66.4
$28.73 COP 91.1K
131.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.52 $34.52
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-23.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.95 $9.95
$6.28 COP 19.9K
58.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,089 $1,089
$770 COP 2.4M
41.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K $15.8K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
74.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 $54.3
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-37.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.94 $42.94
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-24.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.2 $88.2
$137 COP 432.9K
-35.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$97.9 COP 310.4K
5.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,360 $1,360
$1,055 COP 3.3M
28.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$985 $985
$616 COP 2.0M
59.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,469 $2,469
$1,892 COP 6.0M
30.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,105 $2,105
$1,023 COP 3.2M
105.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Glendale, AZ
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,716 $3,716
$652 COP 2.1M
469.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.23
10.94
-43.05%

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

Last update for Glendale, AZ: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Glendale, AZ
$985
Medellin
$616 37.5% $369
Groceries & Markets
Glendale, AZ
$388
Medellin
$295 24.1% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Glendale, AZ
$309
Medellin
$214 30.7% $95
Eating Out
Glendale, AZ
$289
Medellin
$168 41.8% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Glendale, AZ
$130
Medellin
$170 31% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Glendale, AZ
$54
Medellin
$58 6.2% $3.4
Getting Around
Glendale, AZ
$18 *
Medellin
$93 431% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,360 in Glendale, AZ versus $1,055 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 470% higher in Glendale, AZ, 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 $62.0 in Glendale, AZ versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Glendale, AZ
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
12:18 12:18 PM
14:18 2:18 PM
2 h ahead of Glendale, AZ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
200,831
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Glendale, AZ Medellin 4,830 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Glendale, AZ
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Glendale, AZ vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Glendale, AZ or Medellin?
Glendale, AZ costs about 35% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Glendale, AZ and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,260 per month in Glendale, AZ and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Glendale, AZ or Medellin?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Glendale, AZ and in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Glendale, AZ and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Glendale, AZ or in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Glendale, AZ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Glendale, AZ or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Glendale, AZ at $2,173. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glendale, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Glendale, AZ or Medellin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,614 versus $2,173 in Glendale, AZ. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Glendale, AZ or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Glendale, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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