Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manteca, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,780 in Manteca, CA, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Manteca, CA, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Manteca, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,780
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,780 in Manteca, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Manteca, CA $2,780

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,936 in Manteca, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Manteca, CA $3,936

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $5,091 in Manteca, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Manteca, CA $5,091

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Manteca, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Manteca, CA sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Manteca, CA by 106%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$14.03 $14.03
-40.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$35.43 $35.43
31.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$12.03 $12.03
-21.28%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$5.69 $5.69
-44.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,696
$3.10 $3.10
-42.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,594
$2.47 $2.47
-42.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$9.15 $9.15
-65.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$9.94 $9.94
-42.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,943
$1.64 $1.64
-6.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,389
$4.39 $4.39
-47.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,273
$4.16 $4.16
-53.37%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,889
$5.87 $5.87
-47.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$19.76 $19.76
-49.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$14.18 $14.18
-26.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$21.64 $21.64
-35.49%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$5.00 $5.00
-19.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,929
$1.94 $1.94
-21.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,786
$5.35 $5.35
-60.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$5.48 $5.48
-58.21%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,803
$3.51 $3.51
-39.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,512
$2.89 $2.89
-40.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,774
$2.38 $2.38
-50.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,096
$2.56 $2.56
-38.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$11.66 $11.66
-66.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$15.67 $15.67
-10.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,682
$2.52 $2.52
-30.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,746
$3.38 $3.38
-19.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,805
$2.04 $2.04
-42.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.0K
$54.6 $54.6
39.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,827
$3.46 $3.46
-47.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$3.01 $3.01
-29.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$29.44 $29.44
-72.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,113
$1.54 $1.54
-16.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$37.6K $37.6K
-8.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$25.9K $25.9K
31.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.2K
$273 $273
-34.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$47.67 $47.67
-70.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.1K
$81.7 $81.7
-62.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.3K
$44.43 $44.43
-5.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$16.07 $16.07
-53.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,784 $1,784
-55.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$20.6K $20.6K
-40.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.4K
$58.7 $58.7
47.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.1K
$51.7 $51.7
14.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.2K
$102 $102
35.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.7K
$119 $119
-17.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,583 $1,583
-15.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,278 $1,278
-47.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,606 $2,606
-24.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,089 $2,089
-50.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$3,083 $3,083
32.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,184 $2,184
-11.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manteca, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$5,294 $5,294
-87.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.83
60.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Manteca, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Manteca, CA
$1.3K 91.5% $610
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Manteca, CA
$488 58.8% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Manteca, CA
$403 81% $180
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Manteca, CA
$305 76.4% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Manteca, CA
$149 13.3% $23
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Manteca, CA
$81 13% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Manteca, CA
$77 34.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,583 in Manteca, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manteca, CA are about 8.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $35 in Manteca, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Medellin vs $488 in Manteca, CA – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Manteca, CA
🕒 Local time
00:53 12:53 AM
21:53 9:53 PM
3 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
81,592
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Manteca, CA 5,780 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Manteca, 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 Manteca, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Manteca, CA?
Yes – Manteca, CA is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $4,170 in Manteca, 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 $1,583 in Manteca, CA.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Manteca, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,780 in Manteca, CA. That makes Medellin about 39% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 28% less in Manteca, 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 Manteca, CA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Manteca, CA at $2,780. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manteca, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Manteca, 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manteca, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?