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: $1,555 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Medellin versus $5,767 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Medellin versus $7,108 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 65% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 15% above, Cambridge, MA 228% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.8K

$19.45 $19.45

-60.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 146.1K

$99.4 $99.4

-54.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.2K

$12.13 $12.13

-23.83%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,617

$5.37 $5.37

-45.07%

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

$1.80 COP 5,877

$3.18 $3.18

-43.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,403

$2.36 $2.36

-42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,569

$8.21 $8.21

-64.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$7.96 $7.96

-31.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,676

$1.14 $1.14

25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,806

$4.58 $4.58

-47.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,223

$7.12 $7.12

-77.53%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,390

$4.93 $4.93

-41.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.7K

$15.71 $15.71

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.8K

$14.22 $14.22

-33.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.2K

$19.16 $19.16

-30.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.3K

$7.07 $7.07

-46.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,716

$1.67 $1.67

-13.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,848

$5.58 $5.58

-62.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,949

$6.43 $6.43

-66.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,276

$4.40 $4.40

-56.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,997

$3.65 $3.65

-58.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,558

$2.89 $2.89

-62.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,854

$2.86 $2.86

-58.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.4K

$12.56 $12.56

-69.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.9K

$16.31 $16.31

-19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,352

$1.97 $1.97

-16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,430

$5.59 $5.59

-59.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,836

$2.38 $2.38

-50.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 240.2K

$88.8 $88.8

-17.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,168

$2.03 $2.03

-36.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,451

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.8K

$11.20 $11.20

-29.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,222

$1.04 $1.04

24.04%

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

$26.8K COP 87.4M

$36.4K $36.4K

-26.33%

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

$34.7K COP 113.2M

$26.2K $26.2K

32.32%

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

$158 COP 515.0K

$228 $228

-30.72%

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

$13.39 COP 43.7K

$53.5 $53.5

-74.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 89.0K

$79.0 $79.0

-65.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 144.1K

$74.0 $74.0

-40.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.2K

$30.18 $30.18

-47.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

$14.96 $14.96

-57.29%

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

$777 COP 2.5M

$2,898 $2,898

-73.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.7M

$36.1K $36.1K

-75.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.9K

$75.7 $75.7

9.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 183.1K

$53.0 $53.0

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 426.9K

$102 $102

27.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.9K

$142 $142

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$3,371 $3,371

-70.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

$2,837 $2,837

-77.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 6.0M

$5,252 $5,252

-65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

$3,468 $3,468

-72.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

$5,037 $5,037

-22.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

$4,987 $4,987

-68.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$6,278 $6,278

-90.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.23

75.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Medellin and $3,371 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 913% 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 $99.0 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $501 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 185% 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 913% 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: $1,006 in Medellin versus $3,371 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% 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 $99.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,555 in Medellin versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $1,500 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 $1,555 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 185% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.