Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roanoke, AL and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,443 in Roanoke, AL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Roanoke, AL, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Roanoke, AL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,443
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,443 per month in Roanoke, AL vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roanoke, AL $2,443
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $3,736 per month in Roanoke, AL vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roanoke, AL $3,736
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $5,030 per month in Roanoke, AL vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roanoke, AL $5,030
  • Medellin $3,249

Roanoke, AL costs about 44% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Roanoke, AL and Medellin sit above the global median – Roanoke, AL by 81%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.13 $20.13
$8.34 COP 26.9K
141.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.9 $73.9
$46.53 COP 150.2K
58.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.56 $11.56
$9.47 COP 30.6K
22.07%
Cappuccino
$5.27 $5.27
$3.13 COP 10.1K
68.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$1.77 COP 5,702
49.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.42 COP 4,599
42.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$3.15 COP 10.2K
87.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.57 $6.57
$5.70 COP 18.4K
15.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.53 COP 4,948
-32.03%
White Bread (500g)
$3.61 $3.61
$2.29 COP 7,397
57.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.95 $4.95
$1.94 COP 6,279
155.15%
Eggs
$4.09 $4.09
$3.07 COP 9,900
33.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.63 $10.63
$9.99 COP 32.3K
6.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.55 $11.55
$10.45 COP 33.7K
10.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.03 $17.03
$13.96 COP 45.1K
21.99%
Apples (1kg)
$5.17 $5.17
$4.05 COP 13.1K
27.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.53 COP 4,934
7.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$2.10 COP 6,794
112.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.64 $4.64
$2.29 COP 7,405
102.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$2.11 COP 6,810
35.07%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.71 COP 5,518
54.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 $2.34
$1.17 COP 3,778
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.58 COP 5,101
60.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.41 $10.41
$3.91 COP 12.6K
166.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.03 $15.03
$14.04 COP 45.3K
7.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.76 COP 5,688
4.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 $3.00
$2.71 COP 8,756
10.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.79 $1.79
$1.18 COP 3,809
51.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.5 $60.5
$76.3 COP 246.3K
-20.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.81 COP 5,833
73.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 $1.88
$2.13 COP 6,874
-11.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.55 $25.55
$8.13 COP 26.3K
214.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.28 COP 4,117
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$34.4K COP 111.2M
-24.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K $24.6K
$34.1K COP 110.2M
-27.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 $196
$178 COP 573.8K
10.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$67.0 $67.0
$13.89 COP 44.8K
382.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$30.74 COP 99.2K
125.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.23 $40.23
$41.94 COP 135.4K
-4.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.80 $13.80
$7.47 COP 24.1K
84.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,342 $1,342
$790 COP 2.6M
69.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$12.3K COP 39.7M
87.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 $53.7
$86.3 COP 278.7K
-37.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.09 $41.09
$59.3 COP 191.3K
-30.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 $89.8
$138 COP 446.6K
-35.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$98.8 COP 319.0K
16.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 $1,673
$1,341 COP 4.3M
24.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 $1,108
$667 COP 2.2M
66.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,534 $2,534
$1,976 COP 6.4M
28.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 $2,102
$1,033 COP 3.3M
103.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,844 $2,844
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-30.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,343 $2,343
$1,940 COP 6.3M
20.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roanoke, AL
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
10.94
-39.76%

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

Last update for Roanoke, AL: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Roanoke, AL
$1.1K
Medellin
$667 39.8% $441
Groceries & Markets
Roanoke, AL
$399
Medellin
$307 23% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roanoke, AL
$332
Medellin
$222 33.1% $110
Eating Out
Roanoke, AL
$320
Medellin
$173 46.1% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Roanoke, AL
$135
Medellin
$172 27.5% $37
Getting Around
Roanoke, AL
$80
Medellin
$93 16.6% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Roanoke, AL
$68
Medellin
$57 16.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,673 in Roanoke, AL versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Roanoke, AL versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Roanoke, AL
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
14:42 2:42 PM
15:42 3:42 PM
1 h ahead of Roanoke, AL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
99,837
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,610 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Roanoke, AL Medellin 3,150 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Roanoke, AL
  • 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
Roanoke, AL vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Roanoke, AL?
Yes – Roanoke, AL is pricier by about 44%, 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 $3,664 per month in Roanoke, AL and $2,538 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 $1,341 there versus $1,673 in Roanoke, AL.
Is eating out cheaper in Roanoke, AL or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Roanoke, AL 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 Roanoke, AL and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,443 in Roanoke, AL and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 31% cheaper.
Is Roanoke, AL 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.

Roanoke, AL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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