Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Williston, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,269 in Williston, ND, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Williston, ND, United States
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Williston, ND
🇺🇸 United States
$2,269
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Williston, ND

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 Williston, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,269 in Williston, ND, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Williston, ND $2,269

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,718 in Williston, ND, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Williston, ND $3,718

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $5,166 in Williston, ND, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Williston, ND $5,166

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Williston, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Williston, ND sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Williston, ND by 68%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$20.07 $20.07
-58.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$75.9 $75.9
-38.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$11.36 $11.36
-16.64%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$5.23 $5.23
-40.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,700
$2.75 $2.75
-35.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,597
$2.01 $2.01
-29.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$5.39 $5.39
-41.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$6.83 $6.83
-16.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,946
$0.96 $0.96
59.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,394
$2.04 $2.04
12.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,276
$4.10 $4.10
-52.68%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,895
$4.12 $4.12
-25.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$30.04 $30.04
-66.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$12.64 $12.64
-17.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$13.94 $13.94
0.14%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$5.18 $5.18
-21.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,932
$1.85 $1.85
-17.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,791
$4.24 $4.24
-50.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,402
$4.70 $4.70
-51.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,807
$2.86 $2.86
-26.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,515
$2.96 $2.96
-42.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,776
$2.11 $2.11
-44.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,099
$2.20 $2.20
-28.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$10.15 $10.15
-61.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$15.37 $15.37
-8.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,685
$1.91 $1.91
-7.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,752
$3.72 $3.72
-27.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,807
$1.83 $1.83
-35.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.2K
$68.8 $68.8
10.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,831
$3.00 $3.00
-39.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,871
$1.52 $1.52
40.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$32.58 $32.58
-75.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,115
$1.06 $1.06
20.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$24.2K $24.2K
42.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$24.8K $24.8K
37.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.5K
$197 $197
-9.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$58.7 $58.7
-76.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.2K
$74.5 $74.5
-58.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
$41.64 $41.64
0.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$13.64 $13.64
-45.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,360 $1,360
-41.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$20.1K $20.1K
-38.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.6K
$53.5 $53.5
61.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.2K
$40.89 $40.89
44.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.4K
$95.6 $95.6
44.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.9K
$103 $103
-4.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$997 $997
34.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$901 $901
-25.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$2,057 $2,057
-3.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$2,154 $2,154
-52.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$2,237 $2,237
83.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,273 $2,273
-14.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Williston, ND
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$5,795 $5,795
-88.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.59
66.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Williston, ND: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Williston, ND
$901 35.1% $234
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Williston, ND
$433 40.7% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Williston, ND
$330 48.6% $108
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Williston, ND
$317 83.7% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Williston, ND
$132 23.4% $40
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Williston, ND
$87 7.3% $6.8
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Williston, ND
$69 21.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $997 in Williston, ND. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Williston, ND are about 9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $76 in Williston, ND. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $433 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇸 Williston, ND
🕒 Local time
08:47 8:47 AM
07:47 7:47 AM
1 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
30,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,613 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Williston, ND 5,360 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Williston, ND

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 Williston, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Williston, ND?
Yes – Williston, ND is pricier by about 34%, 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 $3,403 in Williston, ND. 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 Williston, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $997 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Williston, ND?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $76 in Williston, ND. 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 Williston, ND?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,269 in Williston, ND. That makes Medellin about 25% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Williston, ND?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $2,269 in Williston, ND, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Williston, ND?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,269 in Williston, ND. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
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, Williston, ND makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?