Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Spartanburg, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Spartanburg, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,299
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Spartanburg, SC

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 Spartanburg, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Spartanburg, SC $2,299

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $3,394 in Spartanburg, SC, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Spartanburg, SC $3,394

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $4,488 in Spartanburg, SC, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Spartanburg, SC $4,488

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Spartanburg, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Spartanburg, SC sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Spartanburg, SC by 70%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$17.24 $17.24
-54.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$60.7 $60.7
-23.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$9.84 $9.84
-3.46%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$5.71 $5.71
-45.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$2.13 $2.13
-14.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$2.35 $2.35
-41.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$5.06 $5.06
-39.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$7.07 $7.07
-22.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.00 $1.00
45.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$3.51 $3.51
-32.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$5.66 $5.66
-70.32%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$3.82 $3.82
-25.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$13.15 $13.15
-22.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$12.91 $12.91
-26.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$16.56 $16.56
-15.22%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$3.26 $3.26
24.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$2.38 $2.38
-36.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$3.90 $3.90
-44.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$6.15 $6.15
-62.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$2.69 $2.69
-28.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$3.71 $3.71
-55.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$2.23 $2.23
-49.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$2.95 $2.95
-57.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$9.05 $9.05
-55.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$16.77 $16.77
-20.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$6.93 $6.93
-65.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$119 $119
-35.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$0.86 $0.86
51.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$34.5K $34.5K
-18.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$26.5K $26.5K
33.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$177 $177
-2.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$93.5 $93.5
-85.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$61.5 $61.5
-53.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$26.87 $26.87
68.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$12.23 $12.23
-48.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$942 $942
-18.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$41.14 $41.14
110.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$35.13 $35.13
62.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$80.0 $80.0
70.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$118 $118
-16.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$1,248 $1,248
-15.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$959 $959
-35.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$2,161 $2,161
-12.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,588 $1,588
-35.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$1,819 $1,819
123.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$1,821 $1,821
-7.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Spartanburg, SC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$3,464 $3,464
-81.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7.22
51.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Spartanburg, SC: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Spartanburg, SC
$959 55.7% $343
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Spartanburg, SC
$421 * 42.8% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Spartanburg, SC
$332 55.1% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Spartanburg, SC
$123 27.5% $47
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Spartanburg, SC
$293 74.2% $125
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Spartanburg, SC
$119 * 27.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Spartanburg, SC
$51 11.2% $6.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,248 in Spartanburg, SC. 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 431% higher in Spartanburg, SC, 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 $61.0 in Spartanburg, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $421 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Spartanburg, SC
🕒 Local time
01:09 1:09 AM
02:09 2:09 AM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
37,013
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Spartanburg, SC 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Spartanburg, SC

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 Spartanburg, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spartanburg, SC cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Spartanburg, SC is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $3,449 in Spartanburg, SC. 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 Spartanburg, SC?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Spartanburg, SC. 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 Spartanburg, SC?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC. That's a gap of about 42%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Spartanburg, SC?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Spartanburg, SC at $2,299. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Spartanburg, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Spartanburg, SC 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Spartanburg, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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