Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Palm Springs, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Palm Springs, CA
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Palm Springs, CA Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,804

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Palm Springs, CA $2,804

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $4,462 in Palm Springs, CA, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Palm Springs, CA $4,462

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $6,120 in Palm Springs, CA, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Palm Springs, CA $6,120

Medellin is about 42% cheaper than Palm Springs, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Palm Springs, CA sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Palm Springs, CA by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.4K

$30.21 $30.21

-73.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.0K

$73.6 $73.6

-36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 29.9K

$9.83 $9.83

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,485

$5.31 $5.31

-43.31%

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

$1.80 COP 5,660

$2.77 $2.77

-35.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,443

$1.57 $1.57

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 9,990

$4.96 $4.96

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$5.60 $5.60

2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$1.35 $1.35

11.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,480

$4.01 $4.01

-40.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,573

$2.96 $2.96

-40.20%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,093

$5.64 $5.64

-48.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.1K

$13.91 $13.91

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.1K

$13.85 $13.85

-28.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.0K

$12.34 $12.34

13.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.5K

$5.01 $5.01

-20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,883

$2.14 $2.14

-27.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,867

$4.52 $4.52

-51.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,870

$5.05 $5.05

-56.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,174

$4.59 $4.59

-57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,000

$4.26 $4.26

-62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,604

$2.17 $2.17

-47.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,911

$2.19 $2.19

-43.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

$11.80 $11.80

-66.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.0K

$13.53 $13.53

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,221

$1.65 $1.65

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,103

$2.78 $2.78

-18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,674

$1.03 $1.03

13.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 243.4K

$33.71 $33.71

129.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 3,989

$3.47 $3.47

-63.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,442

$1.81 $1.81

13.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 26.9K

$23.64 $23.64

-63.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,237

$1.37 $1.37

-1.46%

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

$34.1K COP 107.2M

$30.3K $30.3K

12.31%

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

$34.7K COP 109.1M

$26.3K $26.3K

32.08%

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

$170 COP 533.7K

$243 $243

-30.24%

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

$13.55 COP 42.6K

$81.6 $81.6

-83.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.3K

$66.5 $66.5

-57.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 137.5K

$32.81 $32.81

33.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.1K

$49.68 $49.68

-65.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.7K

$12.07 $12.07

-42.75%

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

$797 COP 2.5M

$556 $556

43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.7M

$8,546 $8,546

6.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 266.5K

$31.48 $31.48

169.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 182.3K

$34.67 $34.67

67.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 424.6K

$72.4 $72.4

86.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 307.9K

$138 $138

-29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

$1,961 $1,961

-38.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

$1,378 $1,378

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

$3,450 $3,450

-41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

$2,963 $2,963

-65.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.1M

$5,132 $5,132

-18.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

$3,464 $3,464

-44.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$4,839 $4,839

-86.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.68

63.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Palm Springs, CA

$1.4K 49.1% 115% $736

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Palm Springs, CA

$415 14.8% 39.8% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Palm Springs, CA

$391 14% 85.2% $180

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Palm Springs, CA

$388 13.8% 129% $219

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Palm Springs, CA

$125 4.4% 26.3% $44

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Palm Springs, CA

$50 1.8% 46.2% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Palm Springs, CA

$57 2% 1% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,961 in Palm Springs, 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 Palm Springs, CA are about 7.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $74 in Palm Springs, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $415 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇺🇸 Palm Springs, CA

🕒 Local time

20:26 8:26 PM

18:26 6:26 PM

2 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

44,575

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

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

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Palm Springs, CA 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Palm Springs, 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 Palm Springs, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Palm Springs, CA is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $4,206 in Palm Springs, CA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,961 in Palm Springs, CA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $74 in Palm Springs, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA. That makes Medellin about 42% cheaper.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Palm Springs, CA at $2,804. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palm Springs, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Palm Springs, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.