Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Staunton, VA and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,166 in Staunton, VA, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Staunton, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,166
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,166 per month in Staunton, VA vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Staunton, VA $2,166
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $3,267 per month in Staunton, VA vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Staunton, VA $3,267
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Staunton, VA vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Staunton, VA $4,368
  • Medellin $3,190

Staunton, VA costs about 34% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Staunton, VA and Medellin sit above the global median – Staunton, VA by 60%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.98 $19.98
$7.93 COP 25.2K
151.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.3 $80.3
$46.13 COP 146.3K
74.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.77 $12.77
$9.50 COP 30.1K
34.42%
Cappuccino
$5.44 $5.44
$3.11 COP 9,866
74.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.83 COP 5,800
67.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.38 COP 4,360
76.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.92 $3.92
$3.05 COP 9,672
28.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.37 $5.37
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-2.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.45 COP 4,600
-24.83%
White Bread (500g)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.36 COP 7,496
39.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.90 $3.90
$1.68 COP 5,328
132.14%
Eggs
$4.73 $4.73
$2.86 COP 9,077
65.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.49 $11.49
$10.19 COP 32.3K
12.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.31 $15.31
$9.53 COP 30.2K
60.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.27 $15.27
$14.04 COP 44.5K
8.76%
Apples (1kg)
$6.18 $6.18
$4.07 COP 12.9K
51.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.50 COP 4,742
-2.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$2.17 COP 6,891
85.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.29 $4.29
$2.31 COP 7,310
85.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.93 COP 6,113
11.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.62 $2.62
$1.64 COP 5,196
59.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.13 COP 3,571
74.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.25 COP 3,954
105.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.28 $9.28
$3.99 COP 12.6K
132.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.03 $16.03
$13.35 COP 42.3K
20.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.70 COP 5,384
-0.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 $3.28
$2.37 COP 7,525
38.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.21 COP 3,827
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.09 $5.09
$1.32 COP 4,179
285.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 $3.09
$2.14 COP 6,774
44.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.26 $35.26
$8.47 COP 26.8K
316.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.30 COP 4,114
-32.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K $22.7K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-19.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-30.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 $178
$172 COP 545.6K
3.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.49 $39.49
$13.37 COP 42.4K
195.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.34 $30.34
$28.73 COP 91.1K
5.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.06 $44.06
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-2.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.43 $13.43
$6.28 COP 19.9K
113.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,196 $3,196
$770 COP 2.4M
315.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$65.7K $65.7K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
628.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 $87.1
$86.4 COP 274.0K
0.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 $56.1
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-1.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 $141
$137 COP 432.9K
2.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 $153
$97.9 COP 310.4K
56.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,324 $1,324
$1,055 COP 3.3M
25.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 $904
$616 COP 2.0M
46.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,634 $1,634
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-13.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,479 $1,479
$1,023 COP 3.2M
44.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,260 $2,260
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-44.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 $2,264
$1,678 COP 5.3M
34.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Staunton, VA
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,970 $3,970
$652 COP 2.1M
508.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.99
10.94
-36.11%

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

Last update for Staunton, VA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Staunton, VA
$904
Medellin
$616 31.9% $289
Groceries & Markets
Staunton, VA
$410
Medellin
$295 28.1% $115
Eating Out
Staunton, VA
$316
Medellin
$168 46.7% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Staunton, VA
$248
Medellin
$214 13.5% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Staunton, VA
$197
Medellin
$170 13.5% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Staunton, VA
$71
Medellin
$58 18.5% $13
Getting Around
Staunton, VA
$21 *
Medellin
$93 355% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,324 in Staunton, VA 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 509% higher in Staunton, VA, 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 $80.0 in Staunton, VA versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $295 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Staunton, VA
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:55 1:55 PM
12:55 12:55 PM
1 h behind Staunton, VA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,528
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Staunton, VA Medellin 3,560 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Staunton, VA
  • 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
Staunton, VA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Staunton, VA?
Yes – Staunton, VA is pricier by about 34%, 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 $3,248 per month in Staunton, VA 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 Staunton, VA or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Staunton, VA and $46.00 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 Staunton, VA and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Staunton, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Staunton, VA or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Staunton, VA at $2,166. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staunton, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Staunton, VA 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, Staunton, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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