Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meridian, MS and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,675 in Meridian, MS, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Meridian, MS, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Meridian, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,675
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Meridian, MS and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Meridian, MS and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,675 per month in Meridian, MS vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Meridian, MS $2,675
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $3,974 per month in Meridian, MS vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Meridian, MS $3,974
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $5,273 per month in Meridian, MS vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Meridian, MS $5,273
  • Medellin $3,249

Meridian, MS costs about 58% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Meridian, MS and Medellin sit above the global median – Meridian, MS by 98%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.23 $26.23
$8.34 COP 26.9K
214.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 $105
$46.53 COP 150.1K
126.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.38 $10.38
$9.47 COP 30.5K
9.61%
Cappuccino
$4.08 $4.08
$3.13 COP 10.1K
30.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$1.77 COP 5,696
29.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.42 COP 4,594
48.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.85 $5.85
$3.15 COP 10.2K
85.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.12 $8.12
$5.70 COP 18.4K
42.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.53 COP 4,943
-40.52%
White Bread (500g)
$4.17 $4.17
$2.29 COP 7,389
82.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.94 COP 6,273
4.12%
Eggs
$3.88 $3.88
$3.07 COP 9,889
26.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.29 $15.29
$9.99 COP 32.2K
53.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.66 $8.66
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-17.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 $15.37
$13.96 COP 45.0K
10.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 $2.98
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-26.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.53 COP 4,929
-30.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.10 COP 6,786
32.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$2.29 COP 7,397
89.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.11 COP 6,803
-6.16%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.71 COP 5,512
84.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.17 COP 3,774
81.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.58 COP 5,096
68.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.95 $8.95
$3.91 COP 12.6K
128.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.60 $16.60
$14.04 COP 45.3K
18.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.76 COP 5,682
46.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 $3.91
$2.71 COP 8,746
44.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.18 COP 3,805
77.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.5 $53.5
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-29.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 $3.58
$1.81 COP 5,827
97.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.45 $1.45
$2.13 COP 6,867
-31.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.67 $34.67
$8.13 COP 26.2K
326.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.28 COP 4,113
-28.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K $33.4K
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-2.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-21.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$264 $264
$178 COP 573.2K
48.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.3 $71.3
$13.89 COP 44.8K
413.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.3 $74.3
$30.74 COP 99.1K
141.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.32 $42.32
$41.94 COP 135.3K
0.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.52 $12.52
$7.47 COP 24.1K
67.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$596 $596
$790 COP 2.5M
-24.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K $24.1K
$12.3K COP 39.7M
95.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 $56.4
$86.3 COP 278.4K
-34.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.70 $42.70
$59.3 COP 191.1K
-27.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.9 $87.9
$138 COP 446.2K
-36.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 $119
$98.8 COP 318.7K
20.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,554 $1,554
$1,341 COP 4.3M
15.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,264 $1,264
$667 COP 2.2M
89.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,579 $2,579
$1,976 COP 6.4M
30.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 $2,112
$1,033 COP 3.3M
104.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,858 $2,858
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-30.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,681 $2,681
$1,940 COP 6.3M
38.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Meridian, MS
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,203 $4,203
$646 COP 2.1M
550.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.73
10.94
-38.48%

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

Last update for Meridian, MS: November 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Meridian, MS
$1.3K
Medellin
$667 47.2% $597
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meridian, MS
$409
Medellin
$222 45.7% $187
Groceries & Markets
Meridian, MS
$370
Medellin
$307 17% $63
Eating Out
Meridian, MS
$353
Medellin
$173 51.1% $180
Clothing & Footwear
Meridian, MS
$138
Medellin
$172 25% $34
Getting Around
Meridian, MS
$73
Medellin
$93 28.5% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Meridian, MS
$67
Medellin
$57 15.5% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,554 in Meridian, MS versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Meridian, MS are about 6.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Meridian, MS versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Meridian, MS
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
22:18 10:18 PM
23:18 11:18 PM
1 h ahead of Meridian, MS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
38,200
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Meridian, MS Medellin 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Meridian, MS
  • Medellin

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
Meridian, MS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Meridian, MS?
Yes – Meridian, MS is pricier by about 58%, 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 $4,012 per month in Meridian, MS and $2,538 in Medellin. 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 $1,554 in Meridian, MS.
Is eating out cheaper in Meridian, MS or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Meridian, MS and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Meridian, MS and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,675 in Meridian, MS and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 37% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Meridian, MS or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Meridian, MS at $2,675. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meridian, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Meridian, MS or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,675 in Meridian, MS. 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, Meridian, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Meridian, MS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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