Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between State College, PA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in State College, PA vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,479 per month in State College, PA vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,638 per month in State College, PA vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

State College, PA costs about 129% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

State College, PA sits 73% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 $17.72

$5.99 COP 21.3K

195.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$32.86 COP 116.9K

58.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 $8.81

$7.09 COP 25.2K

24.26%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$1.71 COP 6,093

159.65%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$1.10 COP 3,910

150.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.78 COP 2,771

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.68 COP 5,976

204.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

128.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.09 COP 3,892

-12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.26 COP 4,492

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.38 COP 4,905

40.58%

Eggs

$3.87 $3.87

$2.19 COP 7,799

76.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$4.40 COP 15.7K

123.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$5.63 COP 20.0K

51.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$8.89 COP 31.6K

33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.34 COP 8,319

52.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.06 COP 3,764

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.50 COP 5,355

242.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.38 COP 4,906

256.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.15 COP 4,097

76.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.16 COP 4,141

147.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.89 COP 3,170

139.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.84 COP 2,986

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 $13.87

$2.28 COP 8,116

508.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 $17.97

$10.64 COP 37.9K

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.20 COP 4,268

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 $7.27

$2.47 COP 8,793

194.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.86 COP 3,045

162.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 $85.1

$41.40 COP 147.3K

105.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 $5.24

$1.47 COP 5,245

256.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.96 COP 6,984

13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.26 $44.26

$7.74 COP 27.5K

471.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.95 COP 3,397

-6.32%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

32.23%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-10.23%

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

$155 $155

$82.3 COP 292.7K

88.84%

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

$39.87 $39.87

$9.50 COP 33.8K

319.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$24.23 COP 86.2K

150.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.23 $25.23

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-2.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 $12.21

$3.93 COP 14.0K

210.69%

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

$906 $906

$309 COP 1.1M

192.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

382.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.79 $45.79

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-21.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$32.35 COP 115.1K

25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$103 COP 365.1K

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$108 COP 385.8K

4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 $1,479

$476 COP 1.7M

210.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 $1,183

$379 COP 1.3M

212.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$838 COP 3.0M

238.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 $2,023

$724 COP 2.6M

179.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 $2,607

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,213 $2,213

$1,211 COP 4.3M

82.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 $4,388

$512 COP 1.8M

757.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.43

-51.38%

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

Last update for State College, PA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,479 in State College, PA versus $476 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 757% higher in State College, PA, 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 $52.0 in State College, PA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $188 – 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

State College, PA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – State College, PA is pricier by about 129%, 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 $3,480 per month in State College, PA and $1,519 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 $52.0 in State College, PA and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,320 in State College, PA and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in State College, PA at $2,320. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in State College, PA 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, State College, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.