Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, NY and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,570 in Long Beach, NY, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Long Beach, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,570
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,570 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Long Beach, NY $2,570
  • Medellin $1,589

A couple spends around $3,827 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Long Beach, NY $3,827
  • Medellin $2,364

A family of three spends $5,083 per month in Long Beach, NY vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Long Beach, NY $5,083
  • Medellin $3,139

Long Beach, NY costs about 62% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Long Beach, NY and Medellin sit above the global median – Long Beach, NY by 92%, Medellin by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.97 $24.97
$8.01 COP 25.5K
211.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.2 $80.2
$46.55 COP 148.3K
72.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.94 $10.94
$9.43 COP 30.1K
16.01%
Cappuccino
$5.59 $5.59
$2.91 COP 9,277
92.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.75 COP 5,585
45.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.32 COP 4,218
14.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.85 $7.85
$3.13 COP 9,969
150.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.10 $8.10
$5.55 COP 17.7K
45.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.41 COP 4,495
-7.80%
White Bread (500g)
$4.31 $4.31
$2.44 COP 7,777
76.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.21 $6.21
$1.63 COP 5,191
280.98%
Eggs
$6.98 $6.98
$2.82 COP 8,990
147.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.39 $13.39
$9.69 COP 30.9K
38.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.65 $11.65
$9.32 COP 29.7K
25.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.33 $17.33
$13.46 COP 42.9K
28.75%
Apples (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$4.00 COP 12.8K
35.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.48 COP 4,719
20.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.17 $4.17
$2.12 COP 6,768
96.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.23 $5.23
$2.25 COP 7,178
132.44%
Potato (1kg)
$3.07 $3.07
$1.91 COP 6,092
60.73%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$1.62 COP 5,160
84.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.83 $2.83
$1.15 COP 3,658
146.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.96 $2.96
$1.26 COP 4,021
134.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.59 $11.59
$3.82 COP 12.2K
203.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.85 $14.85
$13.11 COP 41.8K
13.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.60 COP 5,083
9.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.26 COP 7,188
53.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.17 COP 3,731
61.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.27 COP 4,056
131.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.05 COP 6,531
-0.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.70 $23.70
$8.20 COP 26.1K
189.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.27 COP 4,046
-15.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K $35.5K
$26.8K COP 85.3M
32.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$34.4K COP 109.6M
-26.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 $169
$162 COP 516.9K
4.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.1 $51.1
$13.12 COP 41.8K
289.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.94 $49.94
$28.09 COP 89.5K
77.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.98 $38.98
$44.33 COP 141.2K
-12.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.33 COP 52.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$6.09 COP 19.4K
134.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,980 $1,980
$764 COP 2.4M
159.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K $16.0K
$8,904 COP 28.4M
80.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.73 $41.73
$85.0 COP 270.8K
-50.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5 $58.5
$57.5 COP 183.2K
1.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.2 $75.2
$132 COP 419.8K
-42.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$95.8 COP 305.1K
9.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 $1,615
$1,028 COP 3.3M
57.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,320 $1,320
$604 COP 1.9M
118.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,491 $2,491
$1,802 COP 5.7M
38.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,419 $2,419
$993 COP 3.2M
143.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,548 $2,548
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-35.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,076 $2,076
$1,639 COP 5.2M
26.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Long Beach, NY
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$626 COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
10.94
-38.30%

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

Last update for Long Beach, NY: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Long Beach, NY
$1.3K
Medellin
$604 54.2% $715
Groceries & Markets
Long Beach, NY
$447
Medellin
$288 35.5% $159
Eating Out
Long Beach, NY
$371
Medellin
$166 55.2% $205
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Long Beach, NY
$270
Medellin
$203 24.6% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Long Beach, NY
$126
Medellin
$166 32.2% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Long Beach, NY
$68
Medellin
$57 16.3% $11
Getting Around
Long Beach, NY
$21 *
Medellin
$91 342% $71

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Long Beach, NY versus $1,028 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Long Beach, NY versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $288 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Long Beach, NY
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
05:45 5:45 AM
04:45 4:45 AM
1 h behind Long Beach, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
469,450
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Long Beach, NY Medellin 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Long Beach, NY
  • 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
Long Beach, NY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Long Beach, NY or Medellin?
Long Beach, NY costs about 62% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Long Beach, NY and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,855 per month in Long Beach, NY and $2,384 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Long Beach, NY or Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Long Beach, NY and in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Long Beach, NY and $47.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Long Beach, NY or in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Long Beach, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Long Beach, NY or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Long Beach, NY at $2,570. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Beach, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Long Beach, NY or Medellin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,589 versus $2,570 in Long Beach, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Long Beach, NY compared to Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Long Beach, NY or to Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Beach, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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