Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Redlands, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $3,654 in Redlands, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Redlands, CA, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Redlands, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,654
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $3,654 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Redlands, CA $3,654

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $5,041 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Redlands, CA $5,041

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $6,428 in Redlands, CA, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Redlands, CA $6,428

Medellin is about 54% cheaper than Redlands, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Redlands, CA sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Redlands, CA by 170%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$24.54 $24.54
-66.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$77.3 $77.3
-39.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$15.90 $15.90
-40.44%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$6.09 $6.09
-48.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,728
$3.14 $3.14
-43.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,620
$2.35 $2.35
-39.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$7.84 $7.84
-59.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$9.82 $9.82
-41.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,971
$1.34 $1.34
14.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,431
$4.78 $4.78
-52.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,308
$4.69 $4.69
-58.64%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,945
$5.47 $5.47
-43.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$13.18 $13.18
-24.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$10.73 $10.73
-2.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$19.88 $19.88
-29.78%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$5.39 $5.39
-24.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,957
$2.46 $2.46
-37.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,825
$4.98 $4.98
-57.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,439
$5.51 $5.51
-58.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,841
$3.40 $3.40
-37.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,543
$2.94 $2.94
-41.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,795
$2.06 $2.06
-43.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,125
$2.81 $2.81
-43.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$11.77 $11.77
-66.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.6K
$14.94 $14.94
-6.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,714
$2.49 $2.49
-29.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,796
$4.82 $4.82
-43.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,826
$1.96 $1.96
-39.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$34.40 $34.40
121.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,860
$3.73 $3.73
-51.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,906
$2.20 $2.20
-3.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$38.39 $38.39
-78.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,136
$1.57 $1.57
-18.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$28.8K $28.8K
19.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$26.8K $26.8K
27.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.4K
$296 $296
-40.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$80.2 $80.2
-82.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$79.8 $79.8
-61.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$24.61 $24.61
70.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$18.20 $18.20
-58.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$1,183 $1,183
-33.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$12.7K $12.7K
-2.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 280.0K
$61.6 $61.6
40.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$49.15 $49.15
20.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.7K
$107 $107
29.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.5K
$105 $105
-5.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,875 $1,875
-28.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$2,083 $2,083
-67.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$3,536 $3,536
-44.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$3,099 $3,099
-66.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$4,059 $4,059
0.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$4,236 $4,236
-54.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Redlands, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$4,855 $4,855
-86.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.91
58.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Redlands, CA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Redlands, CA
$2.1K 212% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Redlands, CA
$454 47.7% $146
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Redlands, CA
$456 105% $234
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Redlands, CA
$398 131% $225
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Redlands, CA
$145 15.9% $27
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Redlands, CA
$57 39% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Redlands, CA
$61 7.2% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,875 in Redlands, 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 Redlands, CA are about 7.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $77 in Redlands, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $454 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Redlands, CA
🕒 Local time
06:49 6:49 AM
03:49 3:49 AM
3 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
68,747
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,636 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Redlands, CA 5,270 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Redlands, 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 Redlands, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Redlands, CA?
Yes – Redlands, CA is pricier by about 116%, 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 $2,538 per month in Medellin and $5,481 in Redlands, 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 $1,875 in Redlands, CA.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Redlands, CA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $77 in Redlands, CA. 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 Redlands, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $3,654 in Redlands, CA. That makes Medellin about 54% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Redlands, CA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Redlands, CA at $3,654. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redlands, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Redlands, 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, Redlands, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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