Cost of Living Comparison Between Starkville, MS and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Starkville, MS and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,409 per month in Starkville, MS vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,006 per month in Starkville, MS vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,602 per month in Starkville, MS vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Starkville, MS costs about 138% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Starkville, MS sits 79% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.73 $16.73

$6.14 COP 22.2K

172.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$33.05 COP 119.3K

51.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 $6.85

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-6.42%

Cappuccino

$4.55 $4.55

$1.66 COP 5,987

174.10%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$1.10 COP 3,987

120.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.78 COP 2,822

134.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.71 COP 6,188

135.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.17 COP 11.5K

118.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.11 COP 4,012

-14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.31 COP 4,719

106.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.38 COP 4,980

100.00%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.22 COP 8,009

87.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.34 COP 15.7K

88.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 $8.99

$5.80 COP 20.9K

55.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.34 $15.34

$8.98 COP 32.4K

70.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.26 COP 8,164

61.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.11 COP 4,023

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.46 COP 5,284

95.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.37 COP 4,929

221.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.11 COP 4,009

90.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.16 COP 4,199

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.89 COP 3,211

91.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.87 COP 3,124

77.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 $8.13

$2.35 COP 8,495

245.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 $12.35

$10.86 COP 39.2K

13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.20 COP 4,330

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.48 COP 8,946

28.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.79 COP 2,842

155.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.42 COP 5,137

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.91 COP 6,900

-9.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.86 $17.86

$7.65 COP 27.6K

133.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.97 COP 3,490

-21.65%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

91.08%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

0.21%

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

$182 $182

$81.3 COP 293.5K

123.22%

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

$30.02 $30.02

$9.63 COP 34.8K

211.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$24.36 COP 88.0K

169.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 $43.01

$26.02 COP 93.9K

65.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 $8.07

$3.89 COP 14.0K

107.46%

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

$981 $981

$304 COP 1.1M

222.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,275 $8,275

$5,902 COP 21.3M

40.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 $43.49

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-25.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.47 $36.47

$32.48 COP 117.2K

12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$102 COP 367.3K

-12.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$108 COP 390.4K

20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$474 COP 1.7M

106.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 $1,333

$371 COP 1.3M

259.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 $2,003

$848 COP 3.1M

136.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$716 COP 2.6M

78.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,193 $2,193

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-23.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,140 $2,140

$1,375 COP 5.0M

55.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,802 $2,802

$542 COP 2.0M

417.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Starkville, MS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Starkville, MS versus $474 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 417% higher in Starkville, MS, 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 $50 in Starkville, MS versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 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

Starkville, MS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Starkville, MS is pricier by about 138%, 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 $3,614 per month in Starkville, MS and $1,522 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 $50.0 in Starkville, MS and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% more in Starkville, MS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Starkville, MS at $2,409. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Starkville, MS 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, Starkville, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.