Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix, AZ and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix, AZ and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,814 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,101 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,388 per month in Phoenix, AZ vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix, AZ costs about 177% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phoenix, AZ sits 109% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$5.95 COP 21.4K

241.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$33.33 COP 119.6K

142.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$7.23 COP 26.0K

63.62%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$1.63 COP 5,848

258.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.09 COP 3,929

142.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.73 COP 2,621

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$1.74 COP 6,237

245.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.23 COP 11.6K

115.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.05 COP 3,766

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.29 COP 4,643

231.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$1.32 COP 4,748

293.18%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.27 COP 8,152

107.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$4.35 COP 15.6K

173.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$5.88 COP 21.1K

99.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$8.61 COP 30.9K

59.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.25 COP 8,066

94.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.07 COP 3,839

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.52 COP 5,473

165.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$1.42 COP 5,105

265.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.17 COP 4,199

177.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.17 COP 4,193

117.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.89 COP 3,183

120.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.90 COP 3,235

151.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.71 $11.71

$2.25 COP 8,059

420.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.04 COP 39.6K

34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.14 COP 4,089

92.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.38 COP 8,537

69.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.84 COP 2,998

204.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$41.95 COP 150.6K

45.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.41 COP 5,051

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.90 COP 6,823

-29.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.88 $35.88

$7.75 COP 27.8K

362.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 COP 3,608

-5.94%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$17.6K COP 63.1M

77.86%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K COP 95.1M

1.13%

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

$252 $252

$83.7 COP 300.3K

200.63%

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

$75.0 $75.0

$9.45 COP 33.9K

693.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$24.11 COP 86.5K

251.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.33 $34.33

$25.31 COP 90.8K

35.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 $14.55

$19.14 COP 68.7K

-23.98%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 $12.10

$4.10 COP 14.7K

195.12%

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

$1,130 $1,130

$312 COP 1.1M

262.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K $16.6K

$5,993 COP 21.5M

176.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$58.0 COP 208.3K

-4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 $41.43

$32.56 COP 116.9K

27.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 $93.9

$99.6 COP 357.6K

-5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$109 COP 389.6K

10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 $1,644

$482 COP 1.7M

240.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$379 COP 1.4M

262.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 $2,681

$837 COP 3.0M

220.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 $2,238

$723 COP 2.6M

209.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,637 $4,637

$2,840 COP 10.2M

63.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,104 $3,104

$1,223 COP 4.4M

153.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,252 $4,252

$541 COP 1.9M

686.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Phoenix, AZ: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,644 in Phoenix, AZ versus $482 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 686% higher in Phoenix, AZ, 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 Phoenix, AZ versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 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

Phoenix, AZ vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phoenix, AZ is pricier by about 177%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,221 per month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,525 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 Phoenix, AZ 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 $2,814 in Phoenix, AZ and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Phoenix, AZ at $2,814. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phoenix, AZ 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, Phoenix, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.