Cost of Living Comparison Between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,903 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,244 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Ketchikan, AK is roughly 186% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ketchikan, AK is 116% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.27 $19.27

$5.95 COP 20.6K

223.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$33.33 COP 115.1K

124.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 $11.11

$7.23 COP 25.0K

53.67%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$1.63 COP 5,629

210.43%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.09 COP 3,782

131.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.73 COP 2,522

180.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$1.74 COP 6,003

250.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$3.23 COP 11.2K

119.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.05 COP 3,625

-0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.29 COP 4,469

164.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.32 COP 4,570

234.85%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.27 COP 7,846

47.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$4.35 COP 15.0K

178.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 $11.64

$5.88 COP 20.3K

97.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.50 $15.50

$8.61 COP 29.7K

80.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.25 COP 7,763

115.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.07 COP 3,695

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.52 COP 5,267

187.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.42 COP 4,914

240.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.17 COP 4,042

148.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.17 COP 4,035

149.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.89 COP 3,064

129.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.90 COP 3,114

143.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 $9.82

$2.25 COP 7,757

336.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.04 COP 38.1K

17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.14 COP 3,936

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.38 COP 8,216

38.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,886

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.28 $25.28

$41.95 COP 144.9K

-39.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.41 COP 4,861

146.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.90 COP 6,567

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.77 $28.77

$7.75 COP 26.8K

271.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.01 COP 3,473

9.90%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$17.6K COP 60.7M

67.22%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.5K COP 91.5M

-5.11%

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

$189 $189

$83.7 COP 289.1K

125.60%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$9.45 COP 32.6K

468.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$24.11 COP 83.3K

180.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$25.31 COP 87.4K

73.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.1K

Cinema Ticket

$13.67 $13.67

$4.10 COP 14.2K

233.41%

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

$1,319 $1,319

$312 COP 1.1M

322.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,993 COP 20.7M

294.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$58.0 COP 200.5K

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 $39.60

$32.56 COP 112.5K

21.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$99.6 COP 344.1K

-11.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$109 COP 375.0K

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$482 COP 1.7M

232.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$379 COP 1.3M

314.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 $2,485

$837 COP 2.9M

196.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,454 $2,454

$723 COP 2.5M

239.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 $2,749

$2,840 COP 9.8M

-3.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,730 $2,730

$1,223 COP 4.2M

123.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,489 $4,489

$541 COP 1.9M

730.03%

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 Ketchikan, AK: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Ketchikan, AK and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ketchikan, AK pays 730% 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: $75.0 in Ketchikan, AK vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 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

Ketchikan, AK vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ketchikan, AK and Medellin differ by about 186% in total monthly costs ($2,903 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ketchikan, AK pays 730% 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: $1,603 in Ketchikan, AK versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,319 in Ketchikan, AK versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Ketchikan, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,903 in Ketchikan, AK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ketchikan, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ketchikan, AK 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 186% less than in Ketchikan, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.