Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between McKinney, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,601 in McKinney, TX versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,643 in McKinney, TX versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,685 in McKinney, TX versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in McKinney, TX is roughly 159% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: McKinney, TX is 95% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 $16.70

$5.91 COP 18.6K

182.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$32.96 COP 103.8K

128.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 $8.95

$7.43 COP 23.4K

20.46%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$1.65 COP 5,207

213.33%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.10 COP 3,468

133.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.78 COP 2,458

155.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$1.72 COP 5,412

254.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.18 COP 10.0K

157.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.10 COP 3,474

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.26 COP 3,962

115.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.38 COP 4,349

189.13%

Eggs

$5.16 $5.16

$2.18 COP 6,858

136.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$4.49 COP 14.1K

158.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$5.79 COP 18.2K

151.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.14 $16.14

$8.97 COP 28.2K

79.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.32 COP 7,308

93.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.06 COP 3,352

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.52 COP 4,774

169.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.36 COP 4,270

224.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.13 COP 3,552

221.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.17 COP 3,689

83.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.90 COP 2,838

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.90 COP 2,823

235.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 $9.50

$2.23 COP 7,034

326.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 $11.32

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-6.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.19 COP 3,743

54.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.48 COP 7,815

19.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.85 COP 2,687

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.42 COP 4,459

97.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.42 $29.42

$7.89 COP 24.8K

272.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$0.99 COP 3,118

-24.24%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

69.20%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-3.36%

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

$186 $186

$83.0 COP 261.4K

124.17%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$9.70 COP 30.5K

517.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.6 $80.6

$23.52 COP 74.1K

242.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.49 $34.49

$25.26 COP 79.5K

36.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$3.95 COP 12.4K

285.06%

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

$1,309 $1,309

$316 COP 994.2K

314.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

295.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 $28.40

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-10.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$102 COP 320.1K

2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$107 COP 338.3K

3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,675 $1,675

$475 COP 1.5M

252.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$374 COP 1.2M

272.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,267 $3,267

$849 COP 2.7M

284.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 $1,919

$719 COP 2.3M

166.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 $2,339

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-28.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$1,441 COP 4.5M

63.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,613 $5,613

$624 COP 2.0M

798.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

13.43

-51.68%

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

Last update for McKinney, TX: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,675 in McKinney, TX and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McKinney, TX pays 799% 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: $75.0 in McKinney, TX vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $193 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

McKinney, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

McKinney, TX and Medellin differ by about 159% in total monthly costs ($2,601 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 799% higher in McKinney, TX, 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: $1,675 in McKinney, TX versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,309 in McKinney, TX versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $75.0 in McKinney, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,601 in McKinney, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in McKinney, TX. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in McKinney, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.