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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,843 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $2,847 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $3,852 in Cambridge.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 8% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Cambridge 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$14.70 NZ$24.68

-46.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$34.74 NZ$58.3

28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.92 NZ$14.99

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.91 NZ$4.88

-0.34%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$2.06 NZ$3.46

-12.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.98 NZ$3.33

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$4.69 NZ$7.88

-30.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$7.14 NZ$11.99

-17.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.65 NZ$2.77

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.22 NZ$3.72

10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.88 NZ$3.15

-19.68%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$6.28 NZ$10.55

-55.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.63 NZ$14.50

4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$9.99 NZ$16.77

6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$13.66 NZ$22.94

7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.61 NZ$4.39

52.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.17 NZ$3.64

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.42 NZ$4.07

-4.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.00 NZ$5.04

-32.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.20 NZ$3.69

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.73 NZ$2.91

-5.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.08 NZ$3.50

-48.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.18 NZ$1.99

5.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$28.59 NZ$48.01

-85.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.41 NZ$17.47

29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.69 NZ$4.52

-40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.36 NZ$5.65

-10.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.74 NZ$2.92

-32.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$78.8 NZ$132

1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.33 NZ$3.91

-30.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.05 NZ$3.44

3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$33.21 NZ$55.8

-74.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.63 NZ$2.74

-17.18%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

6.66%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$24.0K NZ$40.3K

48.71%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$107 NZ$179

41.91%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$28.20 NZ$47.35

-53.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$38.37 NZ$64.4

-15.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$43.58 NZ$73.2

6.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$13.61 NZ$22.86

-52.76%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$1,204 NZ$2,023

-30.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$21.4K NZ$36.0K

-58.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$78.9 NZ$133

13.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$44.17 NZ$74.2

25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$91.2 NZ$153

49.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$116 NZ$195

-5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$952 NZ$1,598

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$845 NZ$1,420

-20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,567 NZ$2,632

28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,553 NZ$2,608

-26.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$4,919 NZ$8,260

-24.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$3,470 NZ$5,827

-54.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$2,730 NZ$4,584

-77.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.33

95.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Cambridge pays 336% 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 $35.00 in Cambridge. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $313, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 336% lower in Cambridge. 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 $952 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $1,843 in Cambridge – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 1% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $1,843 in Cambridge, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cambridge 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 9% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.