Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and East Lansing, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,318 in East Lansing, MI, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in East Lansing, MI
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East Lansing, MI Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

East Lansing, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,318

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in East Lansing, 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 East Lansing, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI.

Medellin $1,614
East Lansing, MI $2,318

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $3,429 in East Lansing, MI.

Medellin $2,402
East Lansing, MI $3,429

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $4,540 in East Lansing, MI.

Medellin $3,190
East Lansing, MI $4,540

Living in Medellin costs roughly 30% less than in East Lansing, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, East Lansing, MI 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$16.62 $16.62

-52.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$73.9 $73.9

-37.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$12.21 $12.21

-22.19%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$5.24 $5.24

-40.65%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$2.46 $2.46

-25.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$2.20 $2.20

-37.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$4.93 $4.93

-38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$6.47 $6.47

-14.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$0.84 $0.84

72.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$2.92 $2.92

-19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$5.18 $5.18

-67.57%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$2.75 $2.75

4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$10.93 $10.93

-6.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$16.78 $16.78

-43.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$16.59 $16.59

-15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$5.24 $5.24

-22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$1.53 $1.53

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$6.76 $6.76

-67.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$3.61 $3.61

-36.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$5.81 $5.81

-66.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$5.66 $5.66

-71.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$2.15 $2.15

-47.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$3.96 $3.96

-68.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$9.58 $9.58

-58.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$16.14 $16.14

-17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$1.94 $1.94

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$1.52 $1.52

55.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$1.60 $1.60

-24.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

$50.5 $50.5

51.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

$9.80 $9.80

-86.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

$3.20 $3.20

-33.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

$9.93 $9.93

-14.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$0.97 $0.97

34.02%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$34.5K $34.5K

-18.83%

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

$25.8K $25.8K

37.16%

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$173 $173

-0.25%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$54.1 $54.1

-75.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$63.1 $63.1

-54.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

$36.22 $36.22

24.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

$15.24 $15.24

11.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$11.21 $11.21

-43.98%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$645 $645

19.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$11.0K $11.0K

-17.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$54.2 $54.2

59.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$37.29 $37.29

53.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$69.0 $69.0

97.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$85.0 $85.0

15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$1,231 $1,231

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$1,041 $1,041

-40.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$2,063 $2,063

-8.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$1,684 $1,684

-39.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$2,070 $2,070

96.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$1,594 $1,594

5.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$6,117 $6,117

-89.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.56

66.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for East Lansing, MI: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

East Lansing, MI

$1K 44.9% 69.1% $426

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

East Lansing, MI

$446 19.3% 51.4% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

East Lansing, MI

$290 12.5% 35.2% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

East Lansing, MI

$110 4.8% 35.1% $60

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

East Lansing, MI

$289 12.5% 71.5% $120

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

East Lansing, MI

$83 3.6% 11.4% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

East Lansing, MI

$59 2.5% 1.4% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $1,231 in East Lansing, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

East Lansing, MI pays 838% 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: $46.00 in Medellin vs $74.0 in East Lansing, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $446 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇺🇸 East Lansing, MI

🕒 Local time

04:34 4:34 AM

05:34 5:34 AM

1 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

47,741

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin East Lansing, MI 4,150 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
East Lansing, 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 East Lansing, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and East Lansing, MI differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,614 vs $2,318 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 838% lower in East Lansing, MI. 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: $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,231 in East Lansing, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,614 per month in Medellin versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 51% less than in East Lansing, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,318 in East Lansing, MI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in East Lansing, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and East Lansing, MI 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 44% less than in East Lansing, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.