Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Island, NE and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Island, NE and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,771 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,953 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Grand Island, NE costs about 58% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Grand Island, NE and Medellin sit above the global median – Grand Island, NE by 88%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 $18.71

$8.04 COP 24.8K

132.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$48.29 COP 148.6K

55.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 $10.82

$9.42 COP 29.0K

14.86%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$2.94 COP 9,040

75.51%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.86 COP 5,735

40.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 COP 4,479

35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.21 COP 9,882

87.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.71 COP 17.6K

20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.44 COP 4,428

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.40 COP 7,389

42.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.70 COP 5,228

151.76%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.89 COP 8,896

40.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$10.06 COP 30.9K

21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$9.97 COP 30.7K

12.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$14.20 COP 43.7K

10.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.98 COP 12.3K

23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.58 COP 4,878

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.15 COP 6,624

98.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.30 COP 7,078

110.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.00 COP 6,169

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.51 COP 4,646

88.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.20 COP 3,701

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.28 COP 3,946

64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.71 $9.71

$3.84 COP 11.8K

152.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 $14.18

$14.01 COP 43.1K

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.71 COP 5,256

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.74 COP 8,440

25.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.25 COP 3,834

57.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.31 COP 4,016

170.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.17 COP 6,680

-24.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.44 $29.44

$8.29 COP 25.5K

255.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.36 COP 4,172

-38.24%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

8.11%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-29.63%

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

$191 $191

$169 COP 519.2K

13.24%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$13.57 COP 41.8K

289.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$28.32 COP 87.2K

142.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-7.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 $13.39

$6.65 COP 20.5K

101.35%

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

$1,275 $1,275

$803 COP 2.5M

58.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

160.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 $39.57

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$139 COP 427.5K

-37.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$102 COP 314.0K

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,071 COP 3.3M

46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$653 COP 2.0M

107.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,623 $2,623

$1,925 COP 5.9M

36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,048 COP 3.2M

114.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,771 $2,771

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-32.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$1,697 COP 5.2M

41.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.94

-40.49%

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

Last update for Grand Island, NE: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Grand Island, NE versus $1,071 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 $75.0 in Grand Island, NE versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $300 – 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

Grand Island, NE vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Grand Island, NE is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,884 per month in Grand Island, NE and $2,462 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 $75.0 in Grand Island, NE and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Grand Island, NE, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Grand Island, NE at $2,589. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grand Island, NE it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Grand Island, NE makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.