Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reno, NV and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,939 in Reno, NV, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Reno, NV, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Reno, NV
🇺🇸 United States
$2,939
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,939 per month in Reno, NV vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $2,939
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $4,216 per month in Reno, NV vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $4,216
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $5,494 per month in Reno, NV vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Reno, NV $5,494
  • Medellin $3,186

Reno, NV costs about 79% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Reno, NV and Medellin sit above the global median – Reno, NV by 116%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.27 $26.27
$8.09 COP 25.4K
224.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.5 $86.5
$47.05 COP 148.0K
83.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.81 $12.81
$9.50 COP 29.9K
34.84%
Cappuccino
$5.34 $5.34
$3.01 COP 9,485
77.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.80 COP 5,660
51.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.41 COP 4,443
37.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.23 $7.23
$3.18 COP 9,990
127.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.56 $7.56
$5.75 COP 18.1K
31.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.51 COP 4,751
-23.84%
White Bread (500g)
$3.98 $3.98
$2.38 COP 7,480
67.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.89 $3.89
$1.77 COP 5,573
119.77%
Eggs
$5.25 $5.25
$2.89 COP 9,093
81.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.74 $11.74
$10.19 COP 32.1K
15.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.00 $16.00
$9.87 COP 31.1K
62.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.46 $23.46
$13.99 COP 44.0K
67.69%
Apples (1kg)
$4.44 $4.44
$3.97 COP 12.5K
11.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.55 COP 4,883
-3.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.01 $3.01
$2.18 COP 6,867
38.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.91 $6.91
$2.18 COP 6,870
216.97%
Potato (1kg)
$3.07 $3.07
$1.96 COP 6,174
56.63%
Onion (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$1.59 COP 5,000
134.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.15 COP 3,604
137.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.24 COP 3,911
83.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.51 $10.51
$3.96 COP 12.5K
165.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.44 $12.44
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-9.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.66 COP 5,221
19.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 $3.61
$2.26 COP 7,103
59.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.17 COP 3,674
74.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.2 $64.2
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-17.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.80 $3.80
$1.27 COP 3,989
199.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.59 $2.59
$2.05 COP 6,442
26.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.64 $32.64
$8.55 COP 26.9K
281.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.35 COP 4,237
-5.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-18.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-21.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 $177
$170 COP 533.7K
4.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$95.4 $95.4
$13.55 COP 42.6K
603.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.5 $89.5
$28.07 COP 88.3K
218.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.43 $32.43
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-25.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.91 $15.91
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-7.45%
Cinema Ticket
$14.33 $14.33
$6.91 COP 21.7K
107.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,300 $1,300
$797 COP 2.5M
63.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.8K $27.8K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
205.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 $54.2
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-36.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.80 $32.80
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-43.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.7 $74.7
$135 COP 424.6K
-44.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$97.9 COP 307.9K
47.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,829 $1,829
$1,208 COP 3.8M
51.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$642 COP 2.0M
127.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,811 $2,811
$2,028 COP 6.4M
38.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,153 $2,153
$1,012 COP 3.2M
112.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,519 $3,519
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-15.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,606 $3,606
$1,910 COP 6.0M
88.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reno, NV
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,363 $4,363
$657 COP 2.1M
563.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
10.94
-37.66%

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

Last update for Reno, NV: 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
Reno, NV
$1.5K
Medellin
$642 56% $818
Groceries & Markets
Reno, NV
$448
Medellin
$297 33.7% $151
Eating Out
Reno, NV
$383
Medellin
$170 55.7% $213
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reno, NV
$362
Medellin
$211 41.6% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Reno, NV
$138
Medellin
$169 22.8% $31
Getting Around
Reno, NV
$89
Medellin
$94 5% $4.5
Sport & Entertainment
Reno, NV
$61
Medellin
$58 5.8% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,829 in Reno, NV 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 Reno, NV are about 6.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Reno, NV versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $448 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Reno, NV
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
11:42 11:42 AM
13:42 1:42 PM
2 h ahead of Reno, NV
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
271,953
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Reno, NV Medellin 5,750 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Reno, NV
  • 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
Reno, NV vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Reno, NV?
Yes – Reno, NV is pricier by about 79%, 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 $4,409 per month in Reno, NV and $2,459 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,829 in Reno, NV.
Is eating out cheaper in Reno, NV or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Reno, NV and $47 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 Reno, NV and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,939 in Reno, NV and $1,639 in Medellin. That’s a gap of about 79%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Reno, NV or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Reno, NV at $2,939. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reno, NV it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Reno, NV 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, Reno, NV makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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