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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,068 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,096 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,123 in Brownsville, TX, rent included.

Medellin is about 19% cheaper than Brownsville, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Brownsville, TX sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Brownsville, TX by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$20.13 $20.13

-60.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$75.4 $75.4

-36.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.32 $11.32

-12.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.38 $5.38

-41.82%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.69 $2.69

-29.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.96 $1.96

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.91 $5.91

-47.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.36 $7.36

-21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.86 $0.86

67.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.14 $2.14

16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.34 $4.34

-59.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.77 $2.77

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.50 $9.50

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$11.63 $11.63

-12.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$16.74 $16.74

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.06 $5.06

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.71 $1.71

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.54 $4.54

-50.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.60 $4.60

-51.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.75 $2.75

-25.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.99 $2.99

-48.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.20 $2.20

-46.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.20 $2.20

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$10.01 $10.01

-61.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$15.19 $15.19

-7.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.88 $1.88

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.42 $3.42

-16.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.89 $1.89

-35.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.18 $3.18

-58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.62 $1.62

35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$33.07 $33.07

-73.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.82 $0.82

67.07%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$30.9K $30.9K

-10.04%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.1K $24.1K

48.65%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$200 $200

-11.54%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$74.4 $74.4

-81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$77.4 $77.4

-61.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$42.21 $42.21

6.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$14.42 $14.42

-53.88%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,408 $1,408

-42.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$25.3K $25.3K

-63.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$44.84 $44.84

99.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$38.20 $38.20

54.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$84.1 $84.1

64.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$117 $117

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$947 $947

12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$810 $810

-18.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,665 $1,665

13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,426 $1,426

-28.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,886 $1,886

121.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,875 $1,875

-10.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,212 $3,212

-78.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.65

93.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Brownsville, TX: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $947 in Brownsville, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 374% higher in Brownsville, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $75.0 in Brownsville, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $368 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brownsville, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $2,068 in Brownsville, TX – roughly 23% apart. Brownsville, TX costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $3,103 in Brownsville, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $2,068 in Brownsville, TX. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $1,408 in Brownsville, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Brownsville, TX at $2,068. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brownsville, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,681 in Medellin to $2,068 in Brownsville, TX. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brownsville, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.