Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,138 in Glendale, CA versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,608 in Glendale, CA versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,079 in Glendale, CA versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Glendale, CA is roughly 141% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glendale, CA 201% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$8.03 COP 25.3K

216.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$48.26 COP 152.3K

105.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.77 COP 30.8K

44.93%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$2.91 COP 9,185

109.28%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$1.94 COP 6,134

72.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.52 COP 4,801

82.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.09 COP 9,759

166.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$5.74 COP 18.1K

72.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.36 COP 4,304

2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.39 COP 7,534

102.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.70 COP 5,366

180.00%

Eggs

$6.06 $6.06

$2.87 COP 9,056

111.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$9.94 COP 31.4K

20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$10.78 COP 34.0K

24.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$14.73 COP 46.5K

36.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.09 COP 12.9K

12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.57 COP 4,960

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.13 COP 6,708

104.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.21 COP 6,985

137.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.05 COP 6,460

58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.50 COP 4,747

79.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.19 COP 3,755

73.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.16 COP 3,654

90.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$3.90 COP 12.3K

205.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$14.44 COP 45.6K

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.58 COP 4,997

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.83 COP 8,923

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.17 COP 3,686

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 $90.2

$77.7 COP 245.3K

16.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.28 COP 4,054

129.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.09 COP 6,602

-12.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.16 $28.16

$8.62 COP 27.2K

226.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.30 COP 4,096

19.23%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

35.80%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-26.05%

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

$259 $259

$176 COP 555.6K

47.16%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$13.37 COP 42.2K

467.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$29.89 COP 94.3K

161.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$19.86 $19.86

$6.20 COP 19.6K

220.32%

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

$1,715 $1,715

$793 COP 2.5M

116.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

261.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$136 COP 430.1K

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 $200

$103 COP 325.4K

93.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,294 $3,294

$1,060 COP 3.3M

210.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$680 COP 2.1M

287.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,797 $4,797

$2,012 COP 6.3M

138.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,496 $3,496

$1,169 COP 3.7M

199.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,928 $4,928

$665 COP 2.1M

640.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

10.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,294 in Glendale, CA and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 641% 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: $99.0 in Glendale, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 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

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

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 641% higher in Glendale, CA, 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: $3,294 in Glendale, CA versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 16% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,715 in Glendale, CA versus $793 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $4,138 in Glendale, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glendale, CA and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.