Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cambridge, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cambridge, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $5,677 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $6,927 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 62% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Cambridge, MA 223% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.5K

$20.21 $20.21

-60.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 138.0K

$101 $101

-55.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.8K

$13.02 $13.02

-28.65%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,973

$5.24 $5.24

-44.66%

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

$1.81 COP 5,603

$2.90 $2.90

-37.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,794

$2.37 $2.37

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.1K

$8.21 $8.21

-60.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.2K

$8.23 $8.23

-28.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,277

$1.08 $1.08

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,601

$4.26 $4.26

-42.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,668

$5.98 $5.98

-74.75%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,612

$4.97 $4.97

-44.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 28.0K

$15.13 $15.13

-40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 33.0K

$13.96 $13.96

-23.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 45.3K

$18.99 $18.99

-22.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.3K

$7.01 $7.01

-43.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,267

$1.33 $1.33

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,135

$5.58 $5.58

-58.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,255

$6.51 $6.51

-68.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,461

$2.50 $2.50

-16.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,052

$3.33 $3.33

-51.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,350

$1.91 $1.91

-43.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,886

$2.79 $2.79

-55.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.5K

$12.67 $12.67

-68.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.7K

$15.69 $15.69

-14.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,959

$1.83 $1.83

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,292

$5.44 $5.44

-44.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,652

$2.41 $2.41

-51.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 247.7K

$90.1 $90.1

-11.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,976

$2.66 $2.66

-39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,606

$1.78 $1.78

19.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.4K

$28.10 $28.10

-69.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,189

$1.03 $1.03

31.07%

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

$28.3K COP 87.8M

$35.9K $35.9K

-21.00%

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

$35.7K COP 110.6M

$25.3K $25.3K

41.01%

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

$151 COP 469.0K

$179 $179

-15.65%

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

$13.10 COP 40.6K

$43.14 $43.14

-69.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 100.1K

$52.9 $52.9

-38.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 143.5K

$73.6 $73.6

-37.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 53.5K

$29.78 $29.78

-42.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.9K

$14.90 $14.90

-56.85%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$2,898 $2,898

-71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.5M

$36.0K $36.0K

-75.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 276.8K

$79.6 $79.6

12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 171.4K

$50.6 $50.6

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 423.2K

$102 $102

33.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 338.9K

$139 $139

-21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 3.0M

$3,424 $3,424

-72.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.1M

$2,851 $2,851

-76.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.3M

$5,354 $5,354

-62.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.6M

$3,491 $3,491

-67.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.5M

$4,997 $4,997

-26.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$4,931 $4,931

-67.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$6,179 $6,179

-89.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.05

72.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 888% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $101 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $474 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 Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 162% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 888% lower in Cambridge, MA. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Cambridge, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $101 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cambridge, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.