Cost of Living Comparison Between New Haven, CT and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between New Haven, CT and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,511 per month in New Haven, CT vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,067 per month in New Haven, CT vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,624 per month in New Haven, CT vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

New Haven, CT costs about 148% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

New Haven, CT sits 87% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 $17.23

$5.99 COP 21.4K

187.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

126.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$7.09 COP 25.3K

81.10%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$1.71 COP 6,115

194.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.10 COP 3,924

117.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.78 COP 2,781

152.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 $7.17

$1.68 COP 5,997

326.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$3.07 COP 11.0K

164.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.09 COP 3,906

3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.26 COP 4,508

207.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$1.38 COP 4,922

276.81%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.19 COP 7,827

125.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 $9.41

$4.40 COP 15.7K

113.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$5.63 COP 20.1K

80.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.49 $17.49

$8.89 COP 31.8K

96.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.34 COP 8,349

117.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.06 COP 3,777

63.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.50 COP 5,374

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.38 COP 4,924

197.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.15 COP 4,111

143.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.16 COP 4,155

242.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.89 COP 3,182

168.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.84 COP 2,997

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$2.28 COP 8,145

420.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.31 $16.31

$10.64 COP 38.0K

53.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.20 COP 4,284

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.47 COP 8,824

43.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.86 COP 3,056

91.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

52.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.47 COP 5,264

99.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.96 COP 7,009

-11.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.52 $23.52

$7.74 COP 27.6K

203.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.95 COP 3,409

-10.53%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.7K $29.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

63.99%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-3.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$128 $128

$82.3 COP 293.7K

55.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.91 $43.91

$9.50 COP 33.9K

362.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 $56.6

$24.23 COP 86.5K

133.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.12 $26.12

$25.89 COP 92.4K

0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 $12.73

$3.93 COP 14.0K

223.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$309 COP 1.1M

349.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

290.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 $37.54

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-36.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.59 $23.59

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-27.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$103 COP 366.4K

-28.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 $71.0

$108 COP 387.2K

-34.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 $2,005

$476 COP 1.7M

320.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 $1,336

$379 COP 1.4M

252.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,010 $4,010

$838 COP 3.0M

378.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 $2,856

$724 COP 2.6M

294.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,864 $2,864

$2,791 COP 10.0M

2.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,803 $2,803

$1,211 COP 4.3M

131.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$512 COP 1.8M

671.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.43

-51.08%

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

Last update for New Haven, CT: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,005 in New Haven, CT versus $476 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 run about 671% higher in New Haven, CT, 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 $74.0 in New Haven, CT versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $396 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

New Haven, CT vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New Haven, CT is pricier by about 148%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,767 per month in New Haven, CT and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in New Haven, CT and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,511 in New Haven, CT and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in New Haven, CT at $2,511. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Haven, CT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Haven, CT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.