Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Highlands Ranch, CO and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent and utilities included – about $20,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

161

Cost of Living Index in Highlands Ranch, CO
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Highlands Ranch, CO Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Highlands Ranch, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,365

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Highlands Ranch, CO 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 Highlands Ranch, CO and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,365 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $3,365
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $2,987 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $2,987
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $2,609 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Highlands Ranch, CO $2,609
Medellin $3,199

Highlands Ranch, CO costs about 107% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Highlands Ranch, CO and Medellin sit above the global median – Highlands Ranch, CO by 148%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$8.30 COP 26.3K

83.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$46.91 COP 148.7K

69.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$9.24 COP 29.3K

10.39%

Cappuccino

$6.26 $6.26

$3.05 COP 9,676

105.25%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$1.80 COP 5,707

37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.38 COP 4,382

54.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.24 COP 10.3K

56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$5.56 COP 17.6K

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.50 COP 4,760

-30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.37 COP 7,508

21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.70 COP 5,377

64.71%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.96 COP 9,379

44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$10.22 COP 32.4K

5.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-26.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$13.90 COP 44.1K

36.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.53 COP 4,839

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.22 COP 7,052

118.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.27 COP 7,194

131.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.99 COP 6,311

81.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.67 COP 5,285

174.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.18 COP 3,742

88.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.24 COP 3,919

37.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$3.87 COP 12.3K

168.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 $16.42

$13.78 COP 43.7K

19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.66 COP 5,256

50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.40 COP 7,615

8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.28 COP 4,044

93.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.15 COP 6,803

-12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$8.37 COP 26.5K

203.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.35 COP 4,288

-24.44%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-19.45%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-25.19%

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

$215 $215

$167 COP 528.4K

28.89%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$13.62 COP 43.2K

316.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$29.12 COP 92.3K

136.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 $11.99

$6.97 COP 22.1K

72.02%

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

$1,306 $1,306

$790 COP 2.5M

65.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$9,041 COP 28.7M

35.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 $68.4

$58.2 COP 184.4K

17.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$139 COP 440.7K

-43.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$98.9 COP 313.5K

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$1,028 COP 3.3M

178.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 $2,190

$620 COP 2.0M

253.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,275 $7,275

$663 COP 2.1M

996.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

10.94

-38.76%

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

Last update for Highlands Ranch, CO: October 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Highlands Ranch, CO

$2.2K 65.1%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 71.7% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Highlands Ranch, CO

$368 10.9%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 19.1% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Highlands Ranch, CO

$340 10.1%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 38.5% $131

Eating Out

Highlands Ranch, CO

$284 8.4%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 39.9% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Highlands Ranch, CO

$146 4.4%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 18.1% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Highlands Ranch, CO

$24 * 0.7%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 146% $35

Getting Around

Highlands Ranch, CO

$12 * 0.4%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 697% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,864 in Highlands Ranch, CO versus $1,028 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 997% higher in Highlands Ranch, CO, 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 $80.0 in Highlands Ranch, CO versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Highlands Ranch, CO

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

18:26 6:26 PM

19:26 7:26 PM

1 h ahead of Highlands Ranch, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Highlands Ranch, CO Medellin 4,720 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Highlands Ranch, CO
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

Highlands Ranch, CO vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO, $1,625 in Medellin – roughly 107% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,047 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO and $2,437 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 $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 107%.

Kindergarten costs $1,306 per month in Highlands Ranch, CO and $790 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Highlands Ranch, CO at $3,365. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highlands Ranch, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,625 in Medellin to $3,365 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Highlands Ranch, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.