Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Glendale, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Glendale, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $4,222 in Glendale, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $5,634 in Glendale, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $7,046 in Glendale, CA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Glendale, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Glendale, CA 209% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$25.46 $25.46

-68.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$97.6 $97.6

-50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$13.45 $13.45

-26.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,725

$5.82 $5.82

-46.22%

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

$1.91 COP 5,929

$3.02 $3.02

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$2.71 $2.71

-44.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$8.06 $8.06

-61.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$10.04 $10.04

-42.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,490

$1.31 $1.31

9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,726

$4.90 $4.90

-49.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,511

$4.87 $4.87

-63.66%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,196

$5.76 $5.76

-48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$11.97 $11.97

-15.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$13.26 $13.26

-23.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$19.46 $19.46

-26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.77 $4.77

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.90 $1.90

-15.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,977

$4.55 $4.55

-50.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,998

$5.20 $5.20

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,348

$3.25 $3.25

-37.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,770

$2.62 $2.62

-41.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,636

$2.00 $2.00

-41.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,060

$2.14 $2.14

-38.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$11.78 $11.78

-66.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$15.25 $15.25

-8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,416

$2.12 $2.12

-17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,918

$2.71 $2.71

5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$1.77 $1.77

-31.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.1K

$89.6 $89.6

-10.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,067

$3.07 $3.07

-57.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$1.89 $1.89

15.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$28.08 $28.08

-68.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.54 $1.54

-11.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$37.6K $37.6K

-26.02%

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

$35.8K COP 111.2M

$26.3K $26.3K

36.11%

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

$177 COP 550.9K

$255 $255

-30.37%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$74.0 $74.0

-81.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$81.2 $81.2

-63.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$19.15 $19.15

-65.27%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,713 $1,713

-52.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$31.7K $31.7K

-71.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.1K

$68.6 $68.6

30.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$57.9 $57.9

1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$117 $117

18.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$195 $195

-47.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$3,300 $3,300

-67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$2,594 $2,594

-74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$4,887 $4,887

-61.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$3,388 $3,388

-69.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$5,036 $5,036

-86.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.5

68.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Glendale, CA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $3,300 in Glendale, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 643% 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 $98.0 in Glendale, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $440 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 Glendale, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 643% lower in Glendale, CA. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $3,300 in Glendale, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 11% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $1,713 in Glendale, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $4,222 in Glendale, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. 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 Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Glendale, CA 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 151% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.