Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,958 in Kingston, NY versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,287 in Kingston, NY versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,616 in Kingston, NY versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kingston, NY is roughly 192% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kingston, NY is 121% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 $17.45

$5.99 COP 21.4K

191.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$32.86 COP 117.2K

124.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$7.09 COP 25.3K

63.05%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$1.71 COP 6,105

236.84%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.10 COP 3,918

134.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.78 COP 2,776

207.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.68 COP 5,987

379.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 $9.41

$3.07 COP 10.9K

206.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 COP 3,899

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.26 COP 4,500

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$1.38 COP 4,914

395.65%

Eggs

$5.21 $5.21

$2.19 COP 7,813

137.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$4.40 COP 15.7K

329.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 $11.78

$5.63 COP 20.1K

109.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.39 $19.39

$8.89 COP 31.7K

118.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.34 COP 8,334

118.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.06 COP 3,771

16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.50 COP 5,365

210.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.38 COP 4,915

421.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.15 COP 4,104

150.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.16 COP 4,148

222.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.89 COP 3,176

148.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.84 COP 2,992

138.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.15 $17.15

$2.28 COP 8,131

652.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 $13.11

$10.64 COP 37.9K

23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.20 COP 4,276

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.47 COP 8,809

48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.86 COP 3,051

131.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 $64.4

$41.40 COP 147.6K

55.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.47 COP 5,255

135.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 COP 6,997

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.25 $29.25

$7.74 COP 27.6K

277.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.95 COP 3,403

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

75.37%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-2.87%

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

$186 $186

$82.3 COP 293.2K

126.49%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$9.50 COP 33.9K

594.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$24.23 COP 86.4K

229.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 $42.88

$25.89 COP 92.3K

65.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.68 $24.68

$19.00 COP 67.7K

29.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$3.93 COP 14.0K

281.17%

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

$2,475 $2,475

$309 COP 1.1M

699.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

291.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 $42.92

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-26.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.40 $29.40

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 $72.0

$103 COP 365.7K

-29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 $77.6

$108 COP 386.5K

-28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 $1,802

$476 COP 1.7M

278.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 $1,640

$379 COP 1.4M

332.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,185 $3,185

$838 COP 3.0M

279.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$724 COP 2.6M

265.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,125 $3,125

$2,791 COP 9.9M

11.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,210 $3,210

$1,211 COP 4.3M

164.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,054 $3,054

$512 COP 1.8M

496.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.08

13.43

-47.28%

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

Last update for Kingston, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,802 in Kingston, NY and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston, NY pays 497% 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: $74.0 in Kingston, NY vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $188 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

Kingston, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kingston, NY pays 497% 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: $1,802 in Kingston, NY versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,958 per month in Kingston, NY versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 56% less than in Kingston, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,958 in Kingston, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kingston, NY. 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 Kingston, NY, 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 192% less than in Kingston, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.