Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Haven, CT and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,467 in New Haven, CT, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New Haven, CT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,467
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New Haven, CT 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 New Haven, CT and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,467 per month in New Haven, CT vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • New Haven, CT $2,467
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $4,066 per month in New Haven, CT vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • New Haven, CT $4,066
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $5,665 per month in New Haven, CT vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • New Haven, CT $5,665
  • Medellin $3,199

New Haven, CT costs about 52% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both New Haven, CT and Medellin sit above the global median – New Haven, CT by 82%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.82 $19.82
$8.30 COP 26.3K
138.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.9 $75.9
$46.91 COP 148.7K
61.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.98 $12.98
$9.24 COP 29.3K
40.48%
Cappuccino
$5.10 $5.10
$3.05 COP 9,676
67.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.80 COP 5,707
18.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.38 COP 4,382
14.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.91 $5.91
$3.24 COP 10.3K
82.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.89 $7.89
$5.56 COP 17.6K
41.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.50 COP 4,760
-30.00%
White Bread (500g)
$4.39 $4.39
$2.37 COP 7,508
85.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.39 $7.39
$1.70 COP 5,377
334.71%
Eggs
$5.81 $5.81
$2.96 COP 9,379
96.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.68 $10.68
$10.22 COP 32.4K
4.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.49 $10.49
$9.74 COP 30.9K
7.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.09 $17.09
$13.90 COP 44.1K
22.95%
Apples (1kg)
$5.34 $5.34
$4.13 COP 13.1K
29.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.53 COP 4,839
12.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 $3.34
$2.22 COP 7,052
50.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.27 COP 7,194
34.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.99 COP 6,311
8.04%
Onion (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.67 COP 5,285
46.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.18 COP 3,742
130.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 $2.84
$1.24 COP 3,919
129.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.87 $11.87
$3.87 COP 12.3K
206.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.13 $17.13
$13.78 COP 43.7K
24.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.66 COP 5,256
4.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.40 COP 7,615
16.25%
🚌 Getting Around
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.24 COP 3,944
39.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.0 $63.0
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-19.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.28 COP 4,044
128.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.15 COP 6,803
-6.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.21 $24.21
$8.37 COP 26.5K
189.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.35 COP 4,288
-19.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-20.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-25.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 $176
$167 COP 528.4K
5.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.44 $36.44
$13.62 COP 43.2K
167.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.6 $57.6
$29.12 COP 92.3K
97.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.68 $31.68
$45.09 COP 143.0K
-29.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.68 $12.68
$6.97 COP 22.1K
81.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,177 $2,177
$790 COP 2.5M
175.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K $24.1K
$9,041 COP 28.7M
166.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.10 $38.10
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-56.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.58 $16.58
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-71.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 $76.6
$139 COP 440.7K
-44.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$98.9 COP 313.5K
60.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,844 $1,844
$1,028 COP 3.3M
79.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,195 $1,195
$620 COP 2.0M
92.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,141 $4,141
$1,881 COP 6.0M
120.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,825 $2,825
$1,008 COP 3.2M
180.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,021 $3,021
$3,988 COP 12.6M
-24.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,657 $2,657
$1,702 COP 5.4M
56.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Haven, CT
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,102 $4,102
$663 COP 2.1M
518.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
10.94
-40.49%

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

Last update for New Haven, CT: October 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New Haven, CT
$1.2K
Medellin
$619 48.1% $575
Groceries & Markets
New Haven, CT
$413
Medellin
$298 28% $116
Eating Out
New Haven, CT
$319
Medellin
$171 46.4% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Haven, CT
$270
Medellin
$209 22.4% $60
Clothing & Footwear
New Haven, CT
$131
Medellin
$173 32.3% $42
Getting Around
New Haven, CT
$83
Medellin
$95 14.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
New Haven, CT
$57
Medellin
$59 3.5% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,844 in New Haven, CT versus $1,028 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 518% 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 $76.0 in New Haven, CT versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New Haven, CT
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:28 2:28 AM
01:28 1:28 AM
1 h behind New Haven, CT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
124,001
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New Haven, CT Medellin 3,910 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New Haven, CT
  • 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
New Haven, CT vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than New Haven, CT?
Yes – New Haven, CT is pricier by about 52%, 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 $3,701 per month in New Haven, CT and $2,437 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in New Haven, CT or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in New Haven, CT and $47.00 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 New Haven, CT and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,467 in New Haven, CT and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 52%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in New Haven, CT or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in New Haven, CT at $2,467. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Haven, CT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is New Haven, CT or Medellin 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, New Haven, CT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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