Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Appleton, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,144 in Appleton, WI, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Appleton, WI, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Appleton, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,144
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Appleton, WI

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 Appleton, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,144 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Appleton, WI $2,144

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,066 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Appleton, WI $3,066

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $3,988 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Appleton, WI $3,988

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Appleton, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Appleton, WI sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Appleton, WI by 59%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$17.87 $17.87
-53.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$64.1 $64.1
-27.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$10.92 $10.92
-13.28%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$5.50 $5.50
-43.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$2.64 $2.64
-32.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$2.23 $2.23
-36.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$4.52 $4.52
-30.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$6.18 $6.18
-7.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$1.01 $1.01
51.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$3.01 $3.01
-23.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$5.18 $5.18
-62.55%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$4.73 $4.73
-35.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$13.46 $13.46
-25.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$8.31 $8.31
25.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$15.28 $15.28
-8.64%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$5.01 $5.01
-19.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$1.36 $1.36
12.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$3.10 $3.10
-32.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$4.48 $4.48
-48.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$2.05 $2.05
2.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$2.68 $2.68
-36.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$2.07 $2.07
-43.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$2.98 $2.98
-46.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$10.91 $10.91
-64.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$15.18 $15.18
-7.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$1.77 $1.77
-0.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$3.34 $3.34
-18.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$1.96 $1.96
-39.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$60.1 $60.1
26.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$3.27 $3.27
-44.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$1.70 $1.70
25.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$24.93 $24.93
-67.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$1.02 $1.02
25.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$35.4K $35.4K
-2.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$25.4K $25.4K
34.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$173 $173
2.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$44.76 $44.76
-68.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$60.5 $60.5
-49.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$15.16 $15.16
176.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
$41.00 $41.00
-59.02%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$14.64 $14.64
-48.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$1,825 $1,825
-56.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$10.3K $10.3K
18.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$40.75 $40.75
111.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$24.68 $24.68
140.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$50.2 $50.2
175.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$108 $108
-8.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,337 $1,337
0.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$967 $967
-31.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,394 $2,394
-17.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,374 $1,374
-24.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$2,423 $2,423
69.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,038 $2,038
-4.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Appleton, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$4,160 $4,160
-84.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.37
71.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Appleton, WI: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Appleton, WI
$967 45% $300
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Appleton, WI
$377 22.7% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Appleton, WI
$278 25.2% $56
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Appleton, WI
$296 71.6% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Appleton, WI
$101 41.6% $72
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Appleton, WI
$80 14.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Appleton, WI
$44 21.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,337 in Appleton, WI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Appleton, WI are about 6.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $64 in Appleton, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $377 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Appleton, WI
🕒 Local time
07:22 7:22 AM
06:22 6:22 AM
1 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
74,139
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Appleton, WI 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Appleton, WI

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 Appleton, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Appleton, WI?
Yes – Appleton, WI is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $3,216 in Appleton, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Appleton, WI?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,341 in Medellin and $1,337 in Appleton, WI. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Appleton, WI?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,144 in Appleton, WI. That makes Medellin about 21% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Appleton, WI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Appleton, WI?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $2,144 in Appleton, WI, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Appleton, WI?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,144 in Appleton, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Appleton, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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