Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arlington, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arlington, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,537 in Arlington, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $4,705 in Arlington, WA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 56% less than in Arlington, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Arlington, WA is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$16.34 $16.34

-63.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$72.4 $72.4

-54.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$12.42 $12.42

-42.03%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$5.22 $5.22

-67.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$2.94 $2.94

-62.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$2.05 $2.05

-64.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$5.11 $5.11

-67.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$11.97 $11.97

-74.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.07 $1.07

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$4.10 $4.10

-69.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$4.83 $4.83

-71.22%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$4.93 $4.93

-54.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$9.68 $9.68

-55.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$7.89 $7.89

-25.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$15.23 $15.23

-42.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.84 $2.84

-21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.69 $1.69

-36.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$5.09 $5.09

-69.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$4.88 $4.88

-71.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$3.38 $3.38

-66.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$2.89 $2.89

-61.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$2.01 $2.01

-57.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$2.98 $2.98

-69.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$11.09 $11.09

-78.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$14.91 $14.91

-25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.70 $1.70

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$6.37 $6.37

-62.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$2.04 $2.04

-61.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$2.62 $2.62

-45.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.74 $0.74

158.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$29.88 $29.88

-73.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.06 $1.06

-11.32%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$36.7K $36.7K

-51.16%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$24.0K $24.0K

11.66%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$214 $214

-60.80%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$49.86 $49.86

-80.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$44.68 $44.68

-45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$33.63 $33.63

-23.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$14.77 $14.77

-73.46%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$2,078 $2,078

-85.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$31.1K $31.1K

-80.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$38.28 $38.28

51.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$39.43 $39.43

-19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$72.9 $72.9

37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$102 $102

5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,291 $1,291

-62.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,218 $1,218

-69.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,456 $2,456

-66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$2,030 $2,030

-64.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$5,762 $5,762

-90.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.85

176.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arlington, WA: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,291 in Arlington, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 956% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $72.0 in Arlington, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $385 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

Medellin vs Arlington, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Arlington, WA differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $2,370 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Arlington, WA earns 956% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $1,291 in Arlington, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. 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 129% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.