Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Starkville, MS and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,787 in Starkville, MS, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Starkville, MS, United States
Medellin, Colombia
Starkville, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$1,787
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Starkville, MS vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Starkville, MS $1,787
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,731 per month in Starkville, MS vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Starkville, MS $2,731
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $3,676 per month in Starkville, MS vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Starkville, MS $3,676
  • Medellin $3,186

Starkville, MS costs about 9% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Starkville, MS and Medellin sit above the global median – Starkville, MS by 31%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.92 $14.92
$8.09 COP 25.6K
84.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 $60.2
$47.05 COP 148.9K
27.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.35 $8.35
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-12.11%
Cappuccino
$4.19 $4.19
$3.01 COP 9,540
39.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.80 COP 5,693
31.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.41 COP 4,469
30.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.09 $4.09
$3.18 COP 10.0K
28.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.98 $6.98
$5.75 COP 18.2K
21.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.51 COP 4,778
-42.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 $3.19
$2.38 COP 7,524
34.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.62 $2.62
$1.77 COP 5,606
48.02%
Eggs
$4.22 $4.22
$2.89 COP 9,146
46.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.77 $9.77
$10.19 COP 32.2K
-4.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 $11.62
$9.87 COP 31.2K
17.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.00 $15.00
$13.99 COP 44.3K
7.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.86 $3.86
$3.97 COP 12.6K
-2.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.55 COP 4,911
-10.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.30 $3.30
$2.18 COP 6,907
51.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.18 COP 6,910
39.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.96 COP 6,210
9.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.59 COP 5,029
42.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.15 COP 3,625
90.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.24 COP 3,934
55.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.43 $8.43
$3.96 COP 12.5K
112.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.86 $9.86
$13.68 COP 43.3K
-27.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.66 COP 5,252
4.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$2.26 COP 7,145
39.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,696
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 244.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.18 $4.18
$1.27 COP 4,013
229.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.87 $1.87
$2.05 COP 6,480
-8.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.65 $32.65
$8.55 COP 27.1K
281.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.35 COP 4,262
-36.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K $30.0K
$34.1K COP 107.8M
-12.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$34.7K COP 109.7M
-26.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$168 $168
$170 COP 536.8K
-0.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.80 $29.80
$13.55 COP 42.9K
119.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.7 $53.7
$28.07 COP 88.8K
91.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.46 $17.46
$43.70 COP 138.3K
-60.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 54.4K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.04 $8.04
$6.91 COP 21.9K
16.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,567 $1,567
$797 COP 2.5M
96.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,234 $8,234
$9,112 COP 28.8M
-9.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 $74.9
$84.7 COP 268.1K
-11.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.5 $53.5
$58.0 COP 183.4K
-7.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.6 $87.6
$135 COP 427.1K
-35.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$171 $171
$97.9 COP 309.7K
74.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 $946
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-21.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$735 $735
$642 COP 2.0M
14.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,536 $1,536
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-24.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,344 $1,344
$1,012 COP 3.2M
32.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,185 $2,185
$4,170 COP 13.2M
-47.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,184 $2,184
$1,910 COP 6.0M
14.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Starkville, MS
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,153 $4,153
$657 COP 2.1M
532.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.65
10.94
-39.21%

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

Last update for Starkville, MS: 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
Starkville, MS
$735
Medellin
$642 12.7% $93
Groceries & Markets
Starkville, MS
$334
Medellin
$297 11.1% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Starkville, MS
$252
Medellin
$211 16.1% $41
Eating Out
Starkville, MS
$246
Medellin
$170 31% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Starkville, MS
$174
Medellin
$169 2.8% $5
Sport & Entertainment
Starkville, MS
$34
Medellin
$58 71.5% $24
Getting Around
Starkville, MS
$14 *
Medellin
$94 593% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Starkville, MS 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 Starkville, MS are about 6.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Starkville, MS versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Starkville, MS
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
04:00 4:00 AM
04:00 4:00 AM
Same time as Starkville, MS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,638
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,531 COP (10,000 COP = 2.83 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Starkville, MS Medellin 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Starkville, MS
  • 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
Starkville, MS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Starkville, MS?
Yes – Starkville, MS is pricier by about 9%, 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 $2,681 per month in Starkville, MS 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 Starkville, MS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $946 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Starkville, MS or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Starkville, MS and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Starkville, MS and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Starkville, MS, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough for either Starkville, MS or Medellin?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,787 in Starkville, MS and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Starkville, MS or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,787 in Starkville, MS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
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, Starkville, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Starkville, MS vs other spots: cost of living compared

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