Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Palm Springs, CA
Learn more

Palm Springs, CA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,804

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palm Springs, CA 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 Palm Springs, CA and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,804 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $2,804
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $4,462 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $4,462
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $6,120 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $6,120
Medellin $3,186

Palm Springs, CA costs about 71% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Palm Springs, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Palm Springs, CA by 106%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.21 $30.21

$8.09 COP 25.6K

273.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$47.05 COP 148.9K

56.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$9.50 COP 30.1K

3.47%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.01 COP 9,540

76.41%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.80 COP 5,693

53.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.41 COP 4,469

11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.18 COP 10.0K

55.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.75 COP 18.2K

-2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.51 COP 4,778

-10.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.38 COP 7,524

68.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.77 COP 5,606

67.23%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$2.89 COP 9,146

95.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$10.19 COP 32.2K

36.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$9.87 COP 31.2K

40.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$13.99 COP 44.3K

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.97 COP 12.6K

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.55 COP 4,911

38.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.18 COP 6,907

107.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.18 COP 6,910

131.65%

Potato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.96 COP 6,210

134.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.59 COP 5,029

167.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.15 COP 3,625

88.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.24 COP 3,934

76.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$3.96 COP 12.5K

197.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 $13.53

$13.68 COP 43.3K

-1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.66 COP 5,252

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.26 COP 7,145

23.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.17 COP 3,696

-11.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.71 $33.71

$77.4 COP 244.8K

-56.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.27 COP 4,013

173.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.05 COP 6,480

-11.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.64 $23.64

$8.55 COP 27.1K

176.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.35 COP 4,262

1.48%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$34.1K COP 107.8M

-10.96%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$34.7K COP 109.7M

-24.29%

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

$243 $243

$170 COP 536.8K

43.34%

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

$81.6 $81.6

$13.55 COP 42.9K

502.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$28.07 COP 88.8K

137.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.81 $32.81

$43.70 COP 138.3K

-24.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.68 $49.68

$17.19 COP 54.4K

189.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$6.91 COP 21.9K

74.67%

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

$556 $556

$797 COP 2.5M

-30.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,546 $8,546

$9,112 COP 28.8M

-6.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 $31.48

$84.7 COP 268.1K

-62.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 $34.67

$58.0 COP 183.4K

-40.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 $72.4

$135 COP 427.1K

-46.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$97.9 COP 309.7K

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,208 COP 3.8M

62.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 $1,378

$642 COP 2.0M

114.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,450 $3,450

$2,028 COP 6.4M

70.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,963 $2,963

$1,012 COP 3.2M

192.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,132 $5,132

$4,170 COP 13.2M

23.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 $3,464

$1,910 COP 6.0M

81.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,839 $4,839

$657 COP 2.1M

636.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

10.94

-38.94%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Palm Springs, CA

$1.4K 49.1%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 53.4% $736

Groceries & Markets

Palm Springs, CA

$415 14.8%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 28.5% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palm Springs, CA

$391 14%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 46% $180

Eating Out

Palm Springs, CA

$388 13.8%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 56.3% $219

Clothing & Footwear

Palm Springs, CA

$125 4.4%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 35.7% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Palm Springs, CA

$57 2%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 1% $0.6

Getting Around

Palm Springs, CA

$50 1.8%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 85.9% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,961 in Palm Springs, CA versus $1,208 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 Palm Springs, CA are about 7.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Palm Springs, CA versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palm Springs, CA

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

21:16 9:16 PM

2 h ahead of Palm Springs, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,575

2,486,723

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Palm Springs, CA Medellin 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Palm Springs, CA
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

Palm Springs, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Palm Springs, CA is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,206 per month in Palm Springs, CA and $2,459 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,961 in Palm Springs, CA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Palm Springs, CA and $47 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 $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 42% cheaper.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Palm Springs, CA at $2,804. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palm Springs, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $2,804 in Palm Springs, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Palm Springs, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.