Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Delano, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,645 in Delano, CA, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Delano, CA, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Delano, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,645
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Delano, CA

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 Delano, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,645 in Delano, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Delano, CA $2,645

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,850 in Delano, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Delano, CA $3,850

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $5,055 in Delano, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Delano, CA $5,055

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Delano, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Delano, CA sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Delano, CA by 96%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.8K
$19.28 $19.28
-56.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 149.7K
$75.4 $75.4
-38.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$11.04 $11.04
-14.22%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$5.23 $5.23
-40.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,681
$2.57 $2.57
-31.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,582
$2.04 $2.04
-30.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.1K
$6.10 $6.10
-48.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.3K
$7.14 $7.14
-20.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,930
$1.03 $1.03
48.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,370
$3.41 $3.41
-32.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,257
$4.22 $4.22
-54.03%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,864
$4.11 $4.11
-25.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.1K
$12.47 $12.47
-19.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.6K
$11.64 $11.64
-10.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 44.9K
$15.13 $15.13
-7.73%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.0K
$4.99 $4.99
-18.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,916
$1.64 $1.64
-6.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,769
$4.34 $4.34
-51.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,378
$4.76 $4.76
-51.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,785
$2.80 $2.80
-24.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,498
$2.84 $2.84
-39.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,764
$2.03 $2.03
-42.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,083
$2.15 $2.15
-26.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$9.37 $9.37
-58.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.2K
$13.87 $13.87
1.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,667
$1.77 $1.77
-0.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,724
$3.34 $3.34
-18.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,795
$1.98 $1.98
-40.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 245.4K
$60.5 $60.5
26.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,812
$3.46 $3.46
-47.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,849
$1.63 $1.63
30.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$29.46 $29.46
-72.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,102
$0.88 $0.88
45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.8M
$29.8K $29.8K
15.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$25.5K $25.5K
33.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 571.7K
$190 $190
-6.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.7K
$52.3 $52.3
-73.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 98.9K
$68.7 $68.7
-55.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 134.9K
$42.16 $42.16
-0.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.0K
$13.68 $13.68
-45.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,278 $1,278
-38.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.6M
$23.0K $23.0K
-46.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 277.7K
$51.5 $51.5
67.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 190.6K
$40.15 $40.15
47.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 445.0K
$88.1 $88.1
57.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 317.8K
$110 $110
-9.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,594 $1,594
-15.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.1M
$1,355 $1,355
-50.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,634 $2,634
-24.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,204 $2,204
-53.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$2,731 $2,731
50.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.2M
$2,428 $2,428
-20.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Delano, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.51
68.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Delano, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Delano, CA
$1.4K 103% $688
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Delano, CA
$386 25.6% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Delano, CA
$311 39.8% $88
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Delano, CA
$313 81.5% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Delano, CA
$130 24.4% $42
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Delano, CA
$80 14.4% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Delano, CA
$70 22.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,594 in Delano, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $75 in Delano, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $386 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Delano, CA
🕒 Local time
11:15 11:15 AM
08:15 8:15 AM
3 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
53,819
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,217 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Delano, CA 5,520 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Delano, CA

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 Delano, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Delano, CA?
Yes – Delano, CA is pricier by about 56%, 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 $2,538 per month in Medellin and $3,967 in Delano, CA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $1,594 in Delano, CA.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Delano, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,645 in Delano, CA. That makes Medellin about 36% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Delano, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Delano, CA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Delano, CA at $2,645. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Delano, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Delano, CA 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.

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