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: $2,880 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,061 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,243 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Ketchikan, AK is roughly 180% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ketchikan, AK is 115% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.97 $18.97

$5.92 COP 21.2K

220.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$33.17 COP 118.7K

122.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 $11.01

$7.25 COP 25.9K

51.86%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$1.71 COP 6,137

194.15%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.09 COP 3,915

128.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.77 COP 2,743

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$1.75 COP 6,254

249.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$3.18 COP 11.4K

126.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.06 COP 3,792

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.30 COP 4,657

166.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.38 COP 4,926

221.01%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.21 COP 7,908

50.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$4.52 COP 16.2K

175.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$5.80 COP 20.7K

94.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$8.97 COP 32.1K

74.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.29 COP 8,182

118.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.06 COP 3,791

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.51 COP 5,411

186.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.36 COP 4,869

255.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.16 COP 4,146

146.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.17 COP 4,174

149.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.83 COP 2,960

143.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.85 COP 3,043

150.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 $9.50

$2.35 COP 8,423

304.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 $16.38

$11.09 COP 39.7K

47.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.15 COP 4,133

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.47 COP 8,853

32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.79 COP 2,827

158.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 $24.97

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-40.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.44 COP 5,140

140.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.90 COP 6,793

-16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.98 $28.98

$7.70 COP 27.6K

276.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.03 COP 3,680

4.85%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

64.08%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

-5.14%

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

$188 $188

$81.4 COP 291.4K

131.16%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$9.42 COP 33.7K

462.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$23.77 COP 85.1K

181.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 $42.67

$25.86 COP 92.6K

65.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 $13.36

$4.05 COP 14.5K

229.88%

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

$1,285 $1,285

$312 COP 1.1M

311.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

293.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$58.9 COP 210.7K

-14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 $40.38

$32.82 COP 117.5K

23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$100 COP 359.6K

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$106 COP 380.3K

4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$490 COP 1.8M

231.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$371 COP 1.3M

333.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,405 $2,405

$838 COP 3.0M

186.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$715 COP 2.6M

244.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 $2,775

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-6.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$1,394 COP 5.0M

101.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,486 $4,486

$532 COP 1.9M

743.12%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Ketchikan, AK and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ketchikan, AK pays 743% 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: $74 in Ketchikan, AK vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 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 180% in total monthly costs ($2,880 vs $1,030 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ketchikan, AK pays 743% 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: $1,625 in Ketchikan, AK versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,285 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 105% higher in Ketchikan, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,880 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 180% less than in Ketchikan, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.