Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dearborn, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,602 in Dearborn, MI, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Dearborn, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,602
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Dearborn, MI

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 Dearborn, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $2,602 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Dearborn, MI $2,602

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $3,808 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Dearborn, MI $3,808

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $5,013 in Dearborn, MI, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Dearborn, MI $5,013

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Dearborn, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Dearborn, MI sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Dearborn, MI by 94%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
$17.84 $17.84
-55.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.3K
$63.1 $63.1
-26.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
$11.19 $11.19
-15.73%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,277
$5.76 $5.76
-49.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,585
$2.53 $2.53
-30.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,218
$2.02 $2.02
-34.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,969
$5.94 $5.94
-47.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
$8.12 $8.12
-31.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,495
$0.86 $0.86
63.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,777
$3.35 $3.35
-27.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,191
$4.31 $4.31
-62.18%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,990
$3.85 $3.85
-26.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
$13.40 $13.40
-27.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
$11.48 $11.48
-18.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
$16.24 $16.24
-17.12%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$4.98 $4.98
-19.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,719
$1.59 $1.59
-6.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,768
$4.20 $4.20
-49.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,178
$3.80 $3.80
-40.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,092
$2.49 $2.49
-23.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,160
$3.04 $3.04
-46.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,658
$2.24 $2.24
-48.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,021
$2.16 $2.16
-41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$10.20 $10.20
-62.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
$14.70 $14.70
-10.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,083
$2.49 $2.49
-35.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,188
$3.51 $3.51
-35.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,731
$1.97 $1.97
-40.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.0K
$62.8 $62.8
19.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,056
$2.68 $2.68
-52.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,531
$1.53 $1.53
33.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
$24.27 $24.27
-66.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,046
$1.08 $1.08
17.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
$36.5K $36.5K
-26.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.6M
$25.4K $25.4K
35.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 516.9K
$216 $216
-24.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
$60.6 $60.6
-78.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
$70.0 $70.0
-59.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.2K
$41.39 $41.39
7.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
$13.66 $13.66
-55.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$1,247 $1,247
-38.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
$32.4K $32.4K
-72.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
$58.7 $58.7
44.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
$40.76 $40.76
41.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 419.8K
$95.5 $95.5
37.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.1K
$119 $119
-19.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$1,605 $1,605
-35.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
$1,322 $1,322
-54.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
$2,547 $2,547
-29.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$2,175 $2,175
-54.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
$1,929 $1,929
103.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
$1,907 $1,907
-14.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Dearborn, MI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
$3,640 $3,640
-82.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.49
68.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Dearborn, MI: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Dearborn, MI
$1.3K 119% $718
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Dearborn, MI
$389 34.7% $100
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Dearborn, MI
$347 70.4% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Dearborn, MI
$141 15.1% $25
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Dearborn, MI
$310 86.1% $143
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Dearborn, MI
$81 11.1% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Dearborn, MI
$69 21.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,605 in Dearborn, MI. 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 481% higher in Dearborn, MI, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Dearborn, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $389 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Dearborn, MI
🕒 Local time
18:54 6:54 PM
19:54 7:54 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
92,382
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Dearborn, MI 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Dearborn, MI

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 Dearborn, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dearborn, MI cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Dearborn, MI is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $3,904 in Dearborn, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $1,247 in Dearborn, MI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Dearborn, MI?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Dearborn, MI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Dearborn, MI?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Dearborn, MI at $2,602. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dearborn, MI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Dearborn, MI more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Dearborn, MI?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dearborn, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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