Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ketchikan, AK, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Ketchikan, AK
🇺🇸 United States
$3,104
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,692 in Medellin.

  • Ketchikan, AK $3,104
  • Medellin $1,692

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,471 in Medellin.

  • Ketchikan, AK $4,242
  • Medellin $2,471

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,380 in Ketchikan, AK versus $3,249 in Medellin.

  • Ketchikan, AK $5,380
  • Medellin $3,249

Living in Ketchikan, AK is roughly 83% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ketchikan, AK 130% above, Medellin 25% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.76 $27.76
$8.34 COP 27.0K
232.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.4 $82.4
$46.53 COP 150.9K
77.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.47 $11.47
$9.47 COP 30.7K
21.12%
Cappuccino
$5.09 $5.09
$3.13 COP 10.2K
62.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$1.77 COP 5,728
53.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.42 COP 4,620
42.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.57 $7.57
$3.15 COP 10.2K
140.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.39 $7.39
$5.70 COP 18.5K
29.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.53 COP 4,971
14.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 $3.55
$2.29 COP 7,431
55.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$1.94 COP 6,308
120.10%
Eggs
$4.31 $4.31
$3.07 COP 9,945
40.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 $12.61
$9.99 COP 32.4K
26.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.70 $11.70
$10.45 COP 33.9K
11.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.35 $17.35
$13.96 COP 45.3K
24.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$4.05 COP 13.1K
22.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.53 COP 4,957
5.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$2.10 COP 6,825
108.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$2.29 COP 7,439
109.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$2.11 COP 6,841
27.96%
Onion (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$1.71 COP 5,543
98.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.17 COP 3,795
87.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.58 COP 5,125
53.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.87 $9.87
$3.91 COP 12.7K
152.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$14.04 COP 45.6K
5.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.76 COP 5,714
26.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 $3.64
$2.71 COP 8,796
34.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.18 COP 3,826
68.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.1 $59.1
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-22.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.92 $3.92
$1.81 COP 5,860
116.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 $1.56
$2.13 COP 6,906
-26.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.88 $28.88
$8.13 COP 26.4K
255.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.28 COP 4,136
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$34.4K COP 111.7M
-13.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-24.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 $200
$178 COP 576.4K
12.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.5 $57.5
$13.89 COP 45.0K
314.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$135 $135
$30.74 COP 99.7K
339.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.43 $40.43
$41.94 COP 136.0K
-3.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.98 $17.98
$7.47 COP 24.2K
140.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,219 $1,219
$790 COP 2.6M
54.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.5K $19.5K
$12.3K COP 39.9M
58.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1 $57.1
$86.3 COP 280.0K
-33.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.71 $43.71
$59.3 COP 192.2K
-26.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.9 $82.9
$138 COP 448.7K
-40.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$98.8 COP 320.5K
21.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,781 $1,781
$1,341 COP 4.3M
32.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,618 $1,618
$667 COP 2.2M
142.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,366 $2,366
$1,976 COP 6.4M
19.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,156 $2,156
$1,033 COP 3.3M
108.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,323 $3,323
$4,098 COP 13.3M
-18.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,412 $3,412
$1,940 COP 6.3M
75.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ketchikan, AK
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,559 $4,559
$646 COP 2.1M
605.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
10.94
-39.76%

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

Last update for Ketchikan, AK: November 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ketchikan, AK
$1.6K
Medellin
$667 58.8% $950
Groceries & Markets
Ketchikan, AK
$413
Medellin
$307 25.5% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ketchikan, AK
$392
Medellin
$222 43.3% $170
Eating Out
Ketchikan, AK
$389
Medellin
$173 55.7% $217
Clothing & Footwear
Ketchikan, AK
$137
Medellin
$172 25.8% $35
Getting Around
Ketchikan, AK
$79
Medellin
$93 18.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Ketchikan, AK
$76
Medellin
$57 25.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK and $1,341 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ketchikan, AK pays about 7.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $82 in Ketchikan, AK vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $307 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ketchikan, AK
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:02 2:02 AM
06:02 6:02 AM
4 h ahead of Ketchikan, AK
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,200
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ketchikan, AK Medellin 7,350 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ketchikan, AK
  • 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
Ketchikan, AK vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ketchikan, AK and in Medellin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK and $1,692 in Medellin, so Medellin is about 45% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ketchikan, AK or Medellin?
Average pay in Ketchikan, AK is about 7.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Ketchikan, AK and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,781 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,341 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin?
Childcare runs $1,219 in Ketchikan, AK versus $790 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Ketchikan, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,692 in Medellin versus $3,104 in Ketchikan, AK, a $2,500 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.
How does quality of life compare between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin?
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.
How do I decide between Ketchikan, AK and Medellin?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Ketchikan, AK on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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