Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Long Beach, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $2,570 in Long Beach, NY, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Long Beach, NY
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Long Beach, NY Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Long Beach, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Long Beach, NY

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 Long Beach, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $2,570 in Long Beach, NY, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Long Beach, NY $2,570

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $3,827 in Long Beach, NY, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Long Beach, NY $3,827

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $5,083 in Long Beach, NY, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Long Beach, NY $5,083

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Long Beach, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Long Beach, NY sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Long Beach, NY by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$24.97 $24.97

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$80.2 $80.2

-41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$10.94 $10.94

-13.80%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$5.59 $5.59

-47.94%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$2.55 $2.55

-31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$1.51 $1.51

-12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

$7.85 $7.85

-60.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

$8.10 $8.10

-31.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.30 $1.30

8.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$4.31 $4.31

-43.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$6.21 $6.21

-73.75%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$6.98 $6.98

-59.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$13.39 $13.39

-27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$11.65 $11.65

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$17.33 $17.33

-22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$5.40 $5.40

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$1.78 $1.78

-16.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$4.17 $4.17

-49.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$5.23 $5.23

-56.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$3.07 $3.07

-37.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$2.99 $2.99

-45.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$2.83 $2.83

-59.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$2.96 $2.96

-57.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$11.59 $11.59

-67.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

$14.85 $14.85

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

$1.75 $1.75

-8.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

$3.48 $3.48

-35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$1.89 $1.89

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$2.94 $2.94

-56.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$2.04 $2.04

0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$23.70 $23.70

-65.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$1.07 $1.07

18.69%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$35.5K $35.5K

-24.60%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$25.4K $25.4K

35.21%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$169 $169

-3.95%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$51.1 $51.1

-74.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$49.94 $49.94

-43.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$38.98 $38.98

13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$14.28 $14.28

-57.35%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$1,980 $1,980

-61.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$16.0K $16.0K

-44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$41.73 $41.73

103.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$58.5 $58.5

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$75.2 $75.2

75.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$104 $104

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$1,615 $1,615

-36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$1,320 $1,320

-54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$2,491 $2,491

-27.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$2,419 $2,419

-58.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$2,548 $2,548

53.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$2,076 $2,076

-21.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, NY: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Long Beach, NY

$1.3K 50.3% 118% $715

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Long Beach, NY

$447 17.1% 55.1% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Long Beach, NY

$270 10.3% 32.7% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Long Beach, NY

$126 4.8% 24.3% $41

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Long Beach, NY

$371 14.2% 123% $205

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Long Beach, NY

$21 * 0.8% 77.4% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Long Beach, NY

$68 2.6% 19.5% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,615 in Long Beach, NY. 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $80.0 in Long Beach, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $447 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇺🇸 Long Beach, NY

🕒 Local time

05:48 5:48 AM

06:48 6:48 AM

1 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

469,450

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 11, 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 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Long Beach, NY 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Long Beach, NY

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 Long Beach, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, NY costs about 62% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $3,855 in Long Beach, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $80.0 in Long Beach, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Long Beach, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Long Beach, NY at $2,570. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Beach, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,589 versus $2,570 in Long Beach, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Beach, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.