Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maricopa, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,478 in Maricopa, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Maricopa, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,478
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Maricopa, AZ

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 Maricopa, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $2,478 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Maricopa, AZ $2,478

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $3,390 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Maricopa, AZ $3,390

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $4,302 in Maricopa, AZ, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Maricopa, AZ $4,302

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Maricopa, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Maricopa, AZ sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Maricopa, AZ by 83%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$19.30 $19.30
-56.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$79.4 $79.4
-40.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$13.17 $13.17
-29.84%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$5.28 $5.28
-42.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.71 $2.71
-33.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$2.17 $2.17
-36.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$7.13 $7.13
-54.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$7.40 $7.40
-24.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.02 $1.02
47.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$2.97 $2.97
-20.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$5.06 $5.06
-66.40%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$4.65 $4.65
-36.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$12.97 $12.97
-21.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$11.42 $11.42
-14.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$17.02 $17.02
-18.33%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$4.65 $4.65
-11.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.94 $1.94
-21.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$3.87 $3.87
-42.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$4.16 $4.16
-45.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$2.54 $2.54
-21.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$2.86 $2.86
-41.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$2.10 $2.10
-43.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$2.14 $2.14
-42.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$10.92 $10.92
-64.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$8.91 $8.91
54.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$2.53 $2.53
-34.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$3.63 $3.63
-33.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$2.10 $2.10
-40.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$2.83 $2.83
-54.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.36 $1.36
58.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$35.44 $35.44
-76.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.10 $1.10
22.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$36.4K $36.4K
-4.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$25.9K $25.9K
33.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$147 $147
13.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$62.4 $62.4
-78.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$66.2 $66.2
-55.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$47.09 $47.09
-4.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$12.89 $12.89
-45.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,110 $1,110
-28.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$15.8K $15.8K
-42.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$32.32 $32.32
171.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$24.91 $24.91
133.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$64.9 $64.9
114.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$74.7 $74.7
32.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$1,612 $1,612
-36.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$1,313 $1,313
-52.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,925 $1,925
-2.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,646 $1,646
-38.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$3,115 $3,115
28.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,569 $2,569
-33.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maricopa, AZ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$6,329 $6,329
-89.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4
173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Maricopa, AZ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Maricopa, AZ
$1.3K 112% $694
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Maricopa, AZ
$382 28.2% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Maricopa, AZ
$276 31.7% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Maricopa, AZ
$89 48.7% $84
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Maricopa, AZ
$327 91.6% $156
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Maricopa, AZ
$18 * 81.1% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Maricopa, AZ
$73 23.4% $14

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 $1,612 in Maricopa, AZ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 854% higher in Maricopa, AZ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $79.0 in Maricopa, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $382 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Maricopa, AZ
🕒 Local time
06:39 6:39 AM
04:39 4:39 AM
2 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
62,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Maricopa, AZ 4,800 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Maricopa, AZ

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 Maricopa, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Maricopa, AZ?
Maricopa, AZ costs about 53% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Maricopa, AZ?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $3,717 in Maricopa, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Medellin or Maricopa, AZ?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Maricopa, AZ?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $79.0 in Maricopa, AZ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Maricopa, AZ?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Maricopa, AZ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Maricopa, AZ?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Maricopa, AZ at $2,478. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maricopa, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Maricopa, AZ?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,625 versus $2,478 in Maricopa, AZ. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Medellin or to Maricopa, AZ?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maricopa, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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