Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasadena, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasadena, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,050 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,773 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,497 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Pasadena, CA costs about 292% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pasadena, CA sits 202% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$5.92 COP 21.5K

200.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$32.75 COP 119.1K

147.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 $11.69

$7.20 COP 26.2K

62.36%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$1.70 COP 6,186

204.12%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$1.10 COP 3,996

182.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$0.72 COP 2,625

301.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 $9.80

$1.67 COP 6,067

486.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$3.10 COP 11.3K

253.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 COP 3,837

13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.25 COP 4,531

293.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.39 COP 5,060

102.16%

Eggs

$5.34 $5.34

$2.26 COP 8,229

136.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 $16.23

$4.33 COP 15.8K

274.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.28 $18.28

$5.84 COP 21.2K

213.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$8.83 COP 32.1K

50.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.24 COP 8,159

58.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.08 COP 3,911

50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.53 COP 5,563

63.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$1.37 COP 4,987

319.71%

Potato (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$1.13 COP 4,109

398.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.12 COP 4,067

103.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.85 COP 3,080

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.91 COP 3,305

82.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$2.33 COP 8,477

303.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.19 COP 4,342

72.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.37 COP 8,617

-29.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.79 COP 2,859

97.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 $52.6

$41.13 COP 149.6K

27.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.44 COP 5,223

146.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.91 COP 6,952

-16.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 $29.15

$8.02 COP 29.2K

263.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.94 COP 3,410

38.30%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

63.58%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-17.13%

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

$265 $265

$84.0 COP 305.4K

215.46%

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

$51.1 $51.1

$9.60 COP 34.9K

432.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$24.16 COP 87.9K

200.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.50 $34.50

$25.88 COP 94.1K

33.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.02 $35.02

$19.04 COP 69.3K

83.93%

Cinema Ticket

$19.11 $19.11

$3.92 COP 14.2K

387.50%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$306 COP 1.1M

324.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

154.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 $88.8

$57.9 COP 210.6K

53.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.28 $40.28

$31.82 COP 115.7K

26.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 $93.6

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$107 COP 389.7K

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,388 $3,388

$487 COP 1.8M

596.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$368 COP 1.3M

631.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,475 $5,475

$826 COP 3.0M

563.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,330 $4,330

$716 COP 2.6M

504.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,483 $9,483

$2,925 COP 10.6M

224.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,659 $8,659

$1,407 COP 5.1M

515.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,256 $5,256

$546 COP 2.0M

863.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

13.43

-53.31%

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

Last update for Pasadena, CA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,388 in Pasadena, CA versus $487 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 864% higher in Pasadena, CA, 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 $81.0 in Pasadena, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $190 – 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

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

Yes – Pasadena, CA is pricier by about 292%, 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 $6,075 per month in Pasadena, CA and $1,550 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 $81.0 in Pasadena, CA 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 $4,050 in Pasadena, CA and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Pasadena, CA at $4,050. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pasadena, CA 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, Pasadena, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.