Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ada, OK

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,734 in Ada, OK, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Ada, OK despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Ada, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$1,734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ada, OK

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ada, OK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $1,734 in Ada, OK.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Ada, OK $1,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $2,592 in Ada, OK.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Ada, OK $2,592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $3,449 in Ada, OK.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Ada, OK $3,449

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Ada, OK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Ada, OK 28% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$18.18 $18.18
-54.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$50.8 $50.8
-7.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$11.92 $11.92
-22.48%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$4.10 $4.10
-25.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.43 $2.43
-25.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.96 $1.96
-29.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$3.06 $3.06
5.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$4.44 $4.44
25.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.92 $0.92
63.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$3.23 $3.23
-26.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$3.44 $3.44
-50.58%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$3.70 $3.70
-20.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$6.43 $6.43
58.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$11.61 $11.61
-16.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$20.40 $20.40
-31.86%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$4.76 $4.76
-13.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.62 $1.62
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$3.56 $3.56
-37.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$4.57 $4.57
-50.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.42 $1.42
40.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.62 $1.62
3.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.65 $1.65
-28.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.98 $0.98
26.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$6.10 $6.10
-36.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$15.10 $15.10
-8.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$2.05 $2.05
-19.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$3.28 $3.28
-26.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$3.05 $3.05
-58.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.70 $1.70
26.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$24.24 $24.24
-65.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$0.85 $0.85
58.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$36.3K $36.3K
-4.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$25.6K $25.6K
35.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$211 $211
-20.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$79.5 $79.5
-82.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$81.4 $81.4
-64.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$34.77 $34.77
29.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$11.66 $11.66
-40.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,906 $1,906
-58.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$27.9K $27.9K
-67.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$44.17 $44.17
98.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$49.09 $49.09
18.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$91.2 $91.2
52.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$106 $106
-6.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$636 $636
61.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$538 $538
15.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,017 $1,017
85.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$947 $947
6.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$1,461 $1,461
172.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$1,435 $1,435
18.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ada, OK
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.62
65.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ada, OK: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Ada, OK
$538 13.1% $81
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Ada, OK
$352 18.2% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Ada, OK
$372 77.5% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Ada, OK
$131 24.3% $42
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Ada, OK
$272 59.3% $101
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Ada, OK
$12 * 87.9% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Ada, OK
$58 1.6% $0.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $636 in Ada, OK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Medellin vs $51.0 in Ada, OK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $352 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Ada, OK
🕒 Local time
17:08 5:08 PM
17:08 5:08 PM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
17,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ada, OK 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ada, OK

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
Medellin vs Ada, OK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Ada, OK?
Medellin and Ada, OK differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,625 vs $1,734 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Ada, OK?
You'd need roughly $2,437 in Medellin and $2,601 in Ada, OK to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Ada, OK?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $636 in Ada, OK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ada, OK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Ada, OK?
All in, you'll spend $1,625 per month in Medellin versus $1,734 in Ada, OK – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,625 in Medellin versus $1,734 in Ada, OK, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ada, OK. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Ada, OK?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Ada, OK?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Ada, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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