Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 146% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 85% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 $12.77

$6.14 COP 22.2K

107.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 $39.89

$33.05 COP 119.3K

20.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$7.32 COP 26.4K

38.93%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$1.66 COP 5,987

145.78%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.10 COP 3,987

148.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.78 COP 2,822

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$1.71 COP 6,188

248.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.17 COP 11.5K

117.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.11 COP 4,012

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.31 COP 4,719

174.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.38 COP 4,980

224.64%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.22 COP 8,009

83.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$4.34 COP 15.7K

185.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$5.80 COP 20.9K

98.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.98 COP 32.4K

70.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.26 COP 8,164

123.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.11 COP 4,023

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.46 COP 5,284

198.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.37 COP 4,929

251.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.11 COP 4,009

148.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.16 COP 4,199

141.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.89 COP 3,211

128.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.87 COP 3,124

150.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$2.35 COP 8,495

296.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$10.86 COP 39.2K

38.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.20 COP 4,330

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.48 COP 8,946

37.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.79 COP 2,842

148.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.42 COP 5,137

145.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.91 COP 6,900

-16.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$7.65 COP 27.6K

274.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.97 COP 3,490

-13.40%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

66.37%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-0.92%

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

$186 $186

$81.3 COP 293.5K

128.55%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$9.63 COP 34.8K

455.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$24.36 COP 88.0K

173.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$26.02 COP 93.9K

63.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$3.89 COP 14.0K

241.13%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$304 COP 1.1M

334.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

293.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-11.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$32.48 COP 117.2K

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$102 COP 367.3K

-14.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$108 COP 390.4K

1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$474 COP 1.7M

240.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$371 COP 1.3M

261.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$848 COP 3.1M

206.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$716 COP 2.6M

216.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-45.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$1,375 COP 5.0M

15.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,606 $2,606

$542 COP 2.0M

381.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 381% 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: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $190 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

Houghton, MI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Houghton, MI pays 381% more on average, 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: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $474 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,014 in Medellin – a 146% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,494 in Houghton, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. 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 Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Houghton, MI 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 146% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.