Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sioux Falls, SD

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,114 in Sioux Falls, SD, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Sioux Falls, SD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,114
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Sioux Falls, SD

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 Sioux Falls, SD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $2,114 in Sioux Falls, SD, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Sioux Falls, SD $2,114

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $3,124 in Sioux Falls, SD, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Sioux Falls, SD $3,124

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $4,133 in Sioux Falls, SD, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Sioux Falls, SD $4,133

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Sioux Falls, SD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Medellin and Sioux Falls, SD sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Sioux Falls, SD by 57%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$11.88 $11.88
-33.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$75.3 $75.3
-38.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$10.08 $10.08
-5.75%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$4.24 $4.24
-26.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$2.73 $2.73
-32.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$1.86 $1.86
-25.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$4.01 $4.01
-23.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$6.52 $6.52
-15.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$0.82 $0.82
76.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$2.83 $2.83
-16.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$4.75 $4.75
-64.63%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$3.48 $3.48
-17.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$12.53 $12.53
-18.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$9.49 $9.49
0.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$15.56 $15.56
-9.77%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$4.56 $4.56
-10.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.56 $1.56
-3.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$3.63 $3.63
-40.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$3.50 $3.50
-34.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$2.13 $2.13
-9.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$3.29 $3.29
-50.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$2.15 $2.15
-47.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$1.71 $1.71
-26.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$9.66 $9.66
-58.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$10.83 $10.83
23.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$2.26 $2.26
-24.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$2.55 $2.55
-7.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$1.46 $1.46
-17.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$30.47 $30.47
151.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$3.77 $3.77
-64.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$1.67 $1.67
28.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$34.91 $34.91
-75.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$1.04 $1.04
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$35.2K $35.2K
-20.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$24.8K $24.8K
42.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$251 $251
-31.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$46.46 $46.46
-71.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$55.9 $55.9
-48.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$44.46 $44.46
1.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$34.80 $34.80
-51.03%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$12.59 $12.59
-50.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$1,019 $1,019
-24.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$7,667 $7,667
17.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$32.74 $32.74
163.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$29.87 $29.87
91.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$121 $121
12.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$136 $136
-28.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$1,365 $1,365
-22.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$926 $926
-33.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$2,033 $2,033
-6.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,519 $1,519
-32.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$2,511 $2,511
61.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$2,193 $2,193
-23.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sioux Falls, SD
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$4,306 $4,306
-84.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.87
59.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sioux Falls, SD: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Sioux Falls, SD
$926 50.4% $310
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Sioux Falls, SD
$345 17.2% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Sioux Falls, SD
$353 64.8% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Sioux Falls, SD
$144 15.3% $26
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Sioux Falls, SD
$228 35.2% $59
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Sioux Falls, SD
$48 48.1% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Sioux Falls, SD
$70 20.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,365 in Sioux Falls, SD. 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 560% higher in Sioux Falls, SD, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $75.0 in Sioux Falls, SD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $345 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Sioux Falls, SD
🕒 Local time
11:46 11:46 AM
11:46 11:46 AM
Same time as Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
192,517
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Sioux Falls, SD 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Sioux Falls, SD

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 Sioux Falls, SD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sioux Falls, SD cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Sioux Falls, SD is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $3,171 in Sioux Falls, SD. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Sioux Falls, SD?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $75.0 in Sioux Falls, SD. 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 Sioux Falls, SD?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $2,114 in Sioux Falls, SD. That's a gap of about 31%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Sioux Falls, SD?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Sioux Falls, SD at $2,114. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sioux Falls, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sioux Falls, SD 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 safer, Medellin or Sioux Falls, SD?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
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, Sioux Falls, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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