Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,624 per month in Long Island, NY vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,315 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,005 per month in Long Island, NY vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Long Island, NY costs about 116% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Long Island, NY and Medellin sit above the global median – Long Island, NY by 165%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$8.02 COP 25.0K

209.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$47.87 COP 149.4K

111.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$9.89 COP 30.8K

10.82%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.13 COP 9,767

59.74%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$1.91 COP 5,954

15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.51 COP 4,712

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.12 COP 9,747

154.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.75 COP 17.9K

36.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.44 COP 4,509

-7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.49 COP 7,759

76.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 COP 5,535

11.86%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.96 COP 9,235

73.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$10.07 COP 31.4K

22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.12 COP 31.6K

16.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$14.30 COP 44.6K

17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.14 COP 12.9K

3.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.61 COP 5,019

-21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.25 COP 7,007

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.25 COP 7,028

123.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.04 COP 6,375

-45.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.54 COP 4,790

40.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.17 COP 3,651

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.31 COP 4,077

19.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$3.90 COP 12.2K

189.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.01 COP 43.7K

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.74 COP 5,439

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.87 COP 8,956

43.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.22 COP 3,792

131.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$80.5 COP 251.1K

61.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.31 COP 4,084

125.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.19 COP 6,825

-6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.88 $23.88

$8.71 COP 27.2K

174.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.37 COP 4,260

-22.63%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

30.68%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.38%

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

$217 $217

$177 COP 553.2K

22.26%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$13.88 COP 43.3K

237.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$29.72 COP 92.8K

79.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 $31.24

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-30.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$103 $103

$17.12 COP 53.4K

503.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$6.65 COP 20.7K

121.20%

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

$2,286 $2,286

$813 COP 2.5M

181.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

155.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-55.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$138 COP 431.2K

-44.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$102 COP 318.7K

50.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$1,062 COP 3.3M

147.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 $2,271

$663 COP 2.1M

242.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,705 $4,705

$1,888 COP 5.9M

149.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$1,027 COP 3.2M

246.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 $4,332

$4,183 COP 13.1M

3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$1,675 COP 5.2M

157.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,938 $4,938

$678 COP 2.1M

628.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

10.94

-43.60%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,632 in Long Island, NY versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 629% higher in Long Island, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Long Island, NY versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,624 in Long Island, NY, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 116% apart. Long Island, NY costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,437 per month in Long Island, NY and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $2,286 per month in Long Island, NY and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Long Island, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Long Island, NY at $3,624. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Island, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Long Island, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,681 in Medellin to $3,624 in Long Island, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Island, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.