Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ashland, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Ashland, MA, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Ashland, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,638
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ashland, MA

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 Ashland, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Ashland, MA $3,638

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $4,720 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Ashland, MA $4,720

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $5,802 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Ashland, MA $5,802

Medellin is about 55% cheaper than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Ashland, MA sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Ashland, MA by 167%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$19.79 $19.79
-59.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$76.3 $76.3
-38.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$13.21 $13.21
-28.08%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$5.06 $5.06
-40.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$2.87 $2.87
-37.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$2.43 $2.43
-41.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$5.98 $5.98
-46.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$9.04 $9.04
-36.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.06 $1.06
42.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$4.46 $4.46
-46.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$16.37 $16.37
-89.19%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$5.96 $5.96
-51.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$17.97 $17.97
-43.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$10.73 $10.73
-8.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$18.82 $18.82
-25.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$5.52 $5.52
-28.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$4.29 $4.29
-63.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$3.25 $3.25
-32.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$3.11 $3.11
-29.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$2.18 $2.18
-10.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$2.40 $2.40
-33.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$2.62 $2.62
-56.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$2.85 $2.85
-56.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$13.66 $13.66
-71.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$17.34 $17.34
-21.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
$1.89 $1.89
-12.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
$2.72 $2.72
-16.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$5.89 $5.89
-78.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.01 $1.01
33.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$28.2K $28.2K
20.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$26.3K $26.3K
31.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$180 $180
-5.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$37.13 $37.13
-63.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$59.1 $59.1
-52.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$76.1 $76.1
-42.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$44.12 $44.12
-61.04%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$12.37 $12.37
-44.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$2,104 $2,104
-62.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$38.59 $38.59
119.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$16.15 $16.15
258.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$101 $101
33.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$101 $101
-3.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$2,102 $2,102
-42.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$2,316 $2,316
-72.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$2,877 $2,877
-29.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$2,820 $2,820
-64.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$5,069 $5,069
-17.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$4,390 $4,390
-56.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ashland, MA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$7,849 $7,849
-91.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.51
68.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ashland, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Ashland, MA
$2.3K 261% $1.7K
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Ashland, MA
$496 67% $199
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Ashland, MA
$276 30.5% $65
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Ashland, MA
$328 93.3% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Ashland, MA
$116 31.4% $53
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Ashland, MA
$5.9 * 93.7% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Ashland, MA
$101 75.2% $43

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $2,102 in Ashland, MA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ashland, MA are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $76 in Ashland, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $496 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Ashland, MA
🕒 Local time
15:49 3:49 PM
16:49 4:49 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
21,684
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ashland, MA 4,020 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ashland, MA

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 Ashland, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Ashland, MA?
Ashland, MA costs about 122% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Ashland, MA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $5,457 in Ashland, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Ashland, MA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $2,102 in Ashland, MA.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Ashland, MA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. That makes Medellin about 55% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and in Ashland, MA?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $2,104 in Ashland, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Ashland, MA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Ashland, MA at $3,638. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ashland, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Medellin or to Ashland, MA?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ashland, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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