Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,577 in Houston, MO versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Houston, MO versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,863 in Houston, MO versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Houston, MO is roughly 150% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houston, MO is 93% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 $12.13

$6.16 COP 20.1K

96.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 $86.3

$32.60 COP 106.1K

164.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 $11.12

$7.34 COP 23.9K

51.50%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$1.72 COP 5,599

226.74%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.05 COP 3,420

150.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.77 COP 2,515

175.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$1.69 COP 5,487

256.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$3.17 COP 10.3K

107.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 COP 3,423

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.30 COP 4,236

151.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$1.40 COP 4,544

358.57%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$2.16 COP 7,046

125.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.46 $18.46

$4.39 COP 14.3K

320.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$5.88 COP 19.1K

180.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$8.64 COP 28.1K

92.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.28 COP 7,425

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.11 COP 3,603

21.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.53 COP 4,982

126.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.35 COP 4,410

102.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.13 COP 3,674

112.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.13 COP 3,692

125.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.85 COP 2,753

114.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.91 COP 2,975

195.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$2.34 COP 7,629

332.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$12.37 COP 40.3K

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.20 COP 3,909

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.84 COP 2,727

135.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.42 COP 4,623

139.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$7.66 COP 24.9K

284.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.99 COP 3,223

-23.23%

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

$31.5K $31.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

74.72%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

26.94%

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

$195 $195

$80.8 COP 263.1K

141.34%

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

$49.02 $49.02

$9.95 COP 32.4K

392.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 $50.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

109.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 $43.42

$25.08 COP 81.6K

73.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$3.98 COP 13.0K

282.41%

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

$1,303 $1,303

$305 COP 993.4K

327.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

282.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.82 $46.82

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 $38.94

$32.20 COP 104.8K

20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 $68.5

$101 COP 327.9K

-32.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 $70.5

$108 COP 350.8K

-34.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$477 COP 1.6M

232.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$376 COP 1.2M

262.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$845 COP 2.7M

206.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$730 COP 2.4M

203.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-26.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 $2,097

$1,372 COP 4.5M

52.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

13.43

-51.15%

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

Last update for Houston, MO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Houston, MO and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Houston, MO vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $193 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

Houston, MO vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 150% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,865 in Houston, MO and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,583 in Houston, MO versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Houston, MO versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $86.0 in Houston, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,577 in Houston, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Houston, MO. 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 Houston, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Houston, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.