Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MO and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,526 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Saint Joseph, MO, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Saint Joseph, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,526
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,526 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint Joseph, MO $2,526
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $3,681 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint Joseph, MO $3,681
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $4,836 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint Joseph, MO $4,836
  • Medellin $3,249

Saint Joseph, MO costs about 49% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Saint Joseph, MO and Medellin sit above the global median – Saint Joseph, MO by 87%, Medellin by 25%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.12 $20.12
$8.34 COP 26.9K
141.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.48 $49.48
$46.53 COP 150.1K
6.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 $10.81
$9.47 COP 30.5K
14.15%
Cappuccino
$5.00 $5.00
$3.13 COP 10.1K
59.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.77 COP 5,696
14.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.42 COP 4,594
-19.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.89 $4.89
$3.15 COP 10.2K
55.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 $7.87
$5.70 COP 18.4K
38.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.53 COP 4,943
-41.83%
White Bread (500g)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.29 COP 7,389
42.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.27 $6.27
$1.94 COP 6,273
223.20%
Eggs
$4.67 $4.67
$3.07 COP 9,889
52.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.38 $11.38
$9.99 COP 32.2K
13.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 $8.37
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-19.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.10 $15.10
$13.96 COP 45.0K
8.17%
Apples (1kg)
$6.64 $6.64
$4.05 COP 13.1K
63.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.53 COP 4,929
37.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.84 $5.84
$2.10 COP 6,786
178.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.20 $4.20
$2.29 COP 7,397
83.41%
Potato (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$2.11 COP 6,803
60.66%
Onion (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$1.71 COP 5,512
116.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.17 COP 3,774
60.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.58 COP 5,096
62.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.87 $8.87
$3.91 COP 12.6K
126.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.28 $17.28
$14.04 COP 45.3K
23.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 $1.79
$1.76 COP 5,682
1.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$2.71 COP 8,746
-5.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.18 COP 3,805
47.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.3 $67.3
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-11.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 $4.90
$1.81 COP 5,827
170.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 $1.81
$2.13 COP 6,867
-15.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.06 $35.06
$8.13 COP 26.2K
331.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.28 COP 4,113
-15.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-20.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-23.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 $147
$178 COP 573.2K
-17.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.66 $47.66
$13.89 COP 44.8K
243.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.6 $66.6
$30.74 COP 99.1K
116.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.95 $35.95
$41.94 COP 135.3K
-14.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 $14.85
$7.47 COP 24.1K
98.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$821 $821
$790 COP 2.5M
3.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,129 $9,129
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-25.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.88 $47.88
$86.3 COP 278.4K
-44.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.87 $34.87
$59.3 COP 191.1K
-41.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 $90.1
$138 COP 446.2K
-34.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$98.8 COP 318.7K
17.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 $1,594
$1,341 COP 4.3M
18.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$667 COP 2.2M
90.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,535 $2,535
$1,976 COP 6.4M
28.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,138 $2,138
$1,033 COP 3.3M
107.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,566 $1,566
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-61.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,537 $1,537
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-20.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Joseph, MO
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,808 $2,808
$646 COP 2.1M
334.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.37
10.94
-41.77%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: October 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint Joseph, MO
$1.3K
Medellin
$667 47.6% $607
Groceries & Markets
Saint Joseph, MO
$401
Medellin
$307 23.4% $94
Eating Out
Saint Joseph, MO
$306
Medellin
$173 43.6% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Joseph, MO
$261
Medellin
$222 14.8% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Saint Joseph, MO
$130
Medellin
$172 32.4% $42
Getting Around
Saint Joseph, MO
$88
Medellin
$93 5.9% $5.2
Sport & Entertainment
Saint Joseph, MO
$66
Medellin
$57 13.4% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,594 in Saint Joseph, MO 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.

Salaries in Saint Joseph, MO are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $307 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
04:16 4:16 AM
1 h ahead of Saint Joseph, MO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,780
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint Joseph, MO Medellin 4,190 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint Joseph, MO
  • 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
Saint Joseph, MO vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Saint Joseph, MO?
Yes – Saint Joseph, MO is pricier by about 49%, 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 $3,790 per month in Saint Joseph, MO 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 $1,594 in Saint Joseph, MO.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Saint Joseph, MO 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 Saint Joseph, MO and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,526 in Saint Joseph, MO and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 33% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Saint Joseph, MO or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Saint Joseph, MO at $2,526. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Joseph, MO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Saint Joseph, MO 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Joseph, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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