Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Newport Beach, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $42,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Newport Beach, CA, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Newport Beach, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$5,160
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Newport Beach, CA $5,160

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $7,319 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Newport Beach, CA $7,319

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $9,477 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Newport Beach, CA $9,477

Medellin is about 68% cheaper than Newport Beach, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Newport Beach, CA sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Newport Beach, CA by 279%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$24.79 $24.79
-67.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
$98.1 $98.1
-52.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$14.86 $14.86
-36.07%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$5.72 $5.72
-47.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$3.02 $3.02
-40.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$2.41 $2.41
-41.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$7.31 $7.31
-56.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$9.54 $9.54
-39.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$1.22 $1.22
23.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$5.67 $5.67
-58.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$4.22 $4.22
-58.06%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$5.12 $5.12
-43.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$12.22 $12.22
-16.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$8.71 $8.71
13.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$14.03 $14.03
-0.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$4.60 $4.60
-13.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$1.70 $1.70
-8.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$3.94 $3.94
-44.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$5.74 $5.74
-62.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$3.62 $3.62
-45.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$3.07 $3.07
-48.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$2.11 $2.11
-45.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$2.29 $2.29
-45.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$11.62 $11.62
-65.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$15.05 $15.05
-9.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$1.74 $1.74
-4.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$3.10 $3.10
-27.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$4.60 $4.60
-72.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$1.82 $1.82
12.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$36.58 $36.58
-76.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$1.53 $1.53
-11.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$27.8K $27.8K
22.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$25.9K $25.9K
33.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$217 $217
-21.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$80.8 $80.8
-83.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$68.8 $68.8
-59.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$117 $117
-62.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
$28.41 $28.41
-39.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$20.06 $20.06
-65.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$1,746 $1,746
-54.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$36.6K $36.6K
-75.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$62.3 $62.3
36.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$41.38 $41.38
40.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$79.4 $79.4
70.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$104 $104
-6.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$4,338 $4,338
-72.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$3,700 $3,700
-82.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$7,186 $7,186
-71.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$6,170 $6,170
-83.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
$16.2K $16.2K
-74.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$16.0K $16.0K
-88.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Newport Beach, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$6,237 $6,237
-89.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.45
69.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Newport Beach, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Newport Beach, CA
$3.7K 477% $3.1K
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Newport Beach, CA
$404 36.1% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Newport Beach, CA
$367 73.7% $156
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Newport Beach, CA
$389 129% $219
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Newport Beach, CA
$129 23.5% $40
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Newport Beach, CA
$14 * 85.3% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Newport Beach, CA
$157 174% $100

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $4,338 in Newport Beach, 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 Newport Beach, CA are about 9.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $98 in Newport Beach, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $404 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Newport Beach, CA
🕒 Local time
02:12 2:12 AM
00:12 12:12 AM
2 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
85,186
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Newport Beach, CA 5,310 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Newport Beach, 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 Newport Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Newport Beach, CA?
Yes – Newport Beach, CA is pricier by about 215%, 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 $7,740 in Newport Beach, 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 $1,208 there versus $4,338 in Newport Beach, CA.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Newport Beach, CA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $98 in Newport Beach, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Newport Beach, CA?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Newport Beach, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Newport Beach, CA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Newport Beach, CA at $5,160. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newport Beach, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Newport Beach, 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, Newport Beach, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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