Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elizabeth, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elizabeth, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $4,570 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $5,919 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 47% less than in Elizabeth, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Elizabeth, NJ 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$20.11 $20.11

-60.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$80.1 $80.1

-39.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$11.78 $11.78

-17.06%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$5.44 $5.44

-46.51%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$2.28 $2.28

-14.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.47 $1.47

3.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$8.14 $8.14

-62.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$7.10 $7.10

-19.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.26 $1.26

7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$4.59 $4.59

-47.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$5.92 $5.92

-71.28%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$7.08 $7.08

-59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$15.16 $15.16

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$11.39 $11.39

-5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$20.12 $20.12

-26.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$6.19 $6.19

-33.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.93 $2.93

-46.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$4.25 $4.25

-49.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$5.38 $5.38

-58.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$3.13 $3.13

-34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$3.63 $3.63

-58.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$2.93 $2.93

-59.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$2.62 $2.62

-55.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$15.29 $15.29

-74.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$15.26 $15.26

-5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.95 $2.95

-46.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$3.51 $3.51

-19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$2.06 $2.06

-43.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$77.1 $77.1

0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.04 $3.04

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.16 $2.16

-3.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$42.27 $42.27

-79.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.02 $1.02

27.45%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$35.5K $35.5K

-22.16%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$25.2K $25.2K

40.67%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$267 $267

-34.13%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$51.5 $51.5

-74.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$50.9 $50.9

-41.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$41.88 $41.88

6.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$20.06 $20.06

-69.09%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$1,762 $1,762

-54.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$16.2K $16.2K

-44.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$73.8 $73.8

15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$80.8 $80.8

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$123 $123

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$125 $125

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$2,161 $2,161

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$1,728 $1,728

-60.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,648 $2,648

-24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$2,528 $2,528

-53.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,716 $2,716

51.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,382 $2,382

-28.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$5,280 $5,280

-87.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.32

73.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 694% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $478 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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $3,222 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 694% lower in Elizabeth, NJ. 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: $1,060 in Medellin versus $2,161 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $793 in Medellin versus $1,762 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,222 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, NJ. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.