Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spartanburg, SC and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Spartanburg, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,299
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,299 per month in Spartanburg, SC vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Spartanburg, SC $2,299
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $3,394 per month in Spartanburg, SC vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Spartanburg, SC $3,394
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $4,488 per month in Spartanburg, SC vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Spartanburg, SC $4,488
  • Medellin $3,190

Spartanburg, SC costs about 42% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Spartanburg, SC and Medellin sit above the global median – Spartanburg, SC by 70%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.24 $17.24
$7.93 COP 25.2K
117.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.7 $60.7
$46.13 COP 146.3K
31.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.84 $9.84
$9.50 COP 30.1K
3.58%
Cappuccino
$5.71 $5.71
$3.11 COP 9,866
83.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.83 COP 5,800
16.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.38 COP 4,360
70.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.06 $5.06
$3.05 COP 9,672
65.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 $7.07
$5.50 COP 17.4K
28.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.45 COP 4,600
-31.03%
White Bread (500g)
$3.51 $3.51
$2.36 COP 7,496
48.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.66 $5.66
$1.68 COP 5,328
236.90%
Eggs
$3.82 $3.82
$2.86 COP 9,077
33.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.15 $13.15
$10.19 COP 32.3K
29.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.91 $12.91
$9.53 COP 30.2K
35.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.56 $16.56
$14.04 COP 44.5K
17.95%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-19.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.50 COP 4,742
58.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.90 $3.90
$2.17 COP 6,891
79.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.15 $6.15
$2.31 COP 7,310
166.23%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.93 COP 6,113
39.38%
Onion (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$1.64 COP 5,196
126.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.13 COP 3,571
97.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$1.25 COP 3,954
136.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.05 $9.05
$3.99 COP 12.6K
126.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.77 $16.77
$13.35 COP 42.3K
25.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.93 $6.93
$2.37 COP 7,525
192.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.21 COP 3,827
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$119 $119
$76.5 COP 242.5K
55.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.32 COP 4,179
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.14 COP 6,774
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.30 COP 4,114
-33.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
23.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-25.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 $177
$172 COP 545.6K
2.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$93.5 $93.5
$13.37 COP 42.4K
599.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.5 $61.5
$28.73 COP 91.1K
113.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.87 $26.87
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-40.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.23 $12.23
$6.28 COP 19.9K
94.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$942 $942
$770 COP 2.4M
22.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.14 $41.14
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-52.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.13 $35.13
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-38.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 $80.0
$137 COP 432.9K
-41.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$97.9 COP 310.4K
20.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,248 $1,248
$1,055 COP 3.3M
18.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$959 $959
$616 COP 2.0M
55.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,161 $2,161
$1,892 COP 6.0M
14.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 $1,588
$1,023 COP 3.2M
55.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,819 $1,819
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-55.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,821 $1,821
$1,678 COP 5.3M
8.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spartanburg, SC
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,464 $3,464
$652 COP 2.1M
431.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.22
10.94
-34.00%

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

Last update for Spartanburg, SC: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Spartanburg, SC
$959
Medellin
$616 35.8% $343
Groceries & Markets
Spartanburg, SC
$421 *
Medellin
$295 30% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spartanburg, SC
$332
Medellin
$214 35.5% $118
Eating Out
Spartanburg, SC
$293
Medellin
$168 42.6% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Spartanburg, SC
$123
Medellin
$170 37.9% $47
Getting Around
Spartanburg, SC
$119 *
Medellin
$93 21.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Spartanburg, SC
$51
Medellin
$58 12.6% $6.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,248 in Spartanburg, SC versus $1,055 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 431% higher in Spartanburg, SC, 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 $61.0 in Spartanburg, SC versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Spartanburg, SC
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:26 2:26 AM
01:26 1:26 AM
1 h behind Spartanburg, SC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,013
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Spartanburg, SC Medellin 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • 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
Spartanburg, SC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Spartanburg, SC?
Yes – Spartanburg, SC is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,449 per month in Spartanburg, SC and $2,421 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Spartanburg, SC or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Spartanburg, SC and $46.00 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 Spartanburg, SC and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 42%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Spartanburg, SC or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Spartanburg, SC at $2,299. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Spartanburg, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Spartanburg, SC 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, Spartanburg, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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