Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nashville, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,817 in Nashville, TN, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Nashville, TN, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Nashville, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,817
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nashville, TN

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 Nashville, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,817 in Nashville, TN, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Nashville, TN $2,817

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $4,142 in Nashville, TN, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Nashville, TN $4,142

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $5,466 in Nashville, TN, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Nashville, TN $5,466

Medellin is about 42% cheaper than Nashville, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Nashville, TN sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Nashville, TN by 107%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$18.07 $18.07
-55.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$84.9 $84.9
-44.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$12.14 $12.14
-21.75%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$6.68 $6.68
-54.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$2.99 $2.99
-39.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$2.49 $2.49
-43.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
$7.14 $7.14
-55.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
$7.99 $7.99
-28.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.15 $1.15
31.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$3.88 $3.88
-38.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$4.10 $4.10
-56.83%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$4.20 $4.20
-31.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$13.23 $13.23
-22.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$14.41 $14.41
-31.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$18.42 $18.42
-24.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$5.75 $5.75
-30.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.52 $1.52
1.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$4.00 $4.00
-45.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$4.85 $4.85
-55.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$2.62 $2.62
-25.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$3.06 $3.06
-48.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$2.39 $2.39
-51.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$2.33 $2.33
-46.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$9.05 $9.05
-56.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
$15.75 $15.75
-13.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,222
$2.37 $2.37
-29.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,104
$4.89 $4.89
-53.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
$2.05 $2.05
-42.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
$65.7 $65.7
17.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$4.93 $4.93
-74.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$1.53 $1.53
33.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$20.77 $20.77
-58.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$1.00 $1.00
35.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$37.1K $37.1K
-8.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$26.9K $26.9K
28.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$227 $227
-25.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$72.1 $72.1
-81.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$75.6 $75.6
-62.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
$55.1 $55.1
-20.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
$14.19 $14.19
21.14%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$15.17 $15.17
-54.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$1,448 $1,448
-44.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$30.0K $30.0K
-69.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$55.3 $55.3
53.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$43.72 $43.72
32.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$93.5 $93.5
44.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$137 $137
-28.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$2,018 $2,018
-40.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$1,354 $1,354
-52.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$4,357 $4,357
-53.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$2,242 $2,242
-54.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
$7,653 $7,653
-45.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$2,833 $2,833
-32.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nashville, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$4,734 $4,734
-86.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.55
67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nashville, TN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Nashville, TN
$1.4K 111% $712
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Nashville, TN
$433 45.9% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Nashville, TN
$375 77.6% $164
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Nashville, TN
$335 97.4% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Nashville, TN
$148 12.2% $21
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Nashville, TN
$86 7.6% $7.1
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Nashville, TN
$85 48.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $2,018 in Nashville, TN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Nashville, TN are about 7.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $85 in Nashville, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $433 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Nashville, TN
🕒 Local time
11:09 11:09 AM
11:09 11:09 AM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
689,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nashville, TN 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nashville, TN

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 Nashville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Nashville, TN?
Yes – Nashville, TN is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $4,226 in Nashville, TN. 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 $1,208 there versus $2,018 in Nashville, TN.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nashville, TN?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $85 in Nashville, TN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Nashville, TN?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,817 in Nashville, TN. That’s a gap of about 72%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nashville, TN?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Nashville, TN at $2,817. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nashville, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $2,817 in Nashville, TN. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nashville, TN 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?