Cost of Living Comparison Between Thousand Oaks, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thousand Oaks, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,863 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,300 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,737 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Thousand Oaks, CA costs about 125% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thousand Oaks, CA and Medellin sit above the global median – Thousand Oaks, CA by 181%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.85 $27.85

$8.03 COP 25.3K

246.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$48.26 COP 152.0K

103.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-12.90%

Cappuccino

$6.43 $6.43

$2.91 COP 9,167

120.96%

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

$3.29 $3.29

$1.94 COP 6,122

69.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.52 COP 4,792

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 $7.99

$3.09 COP 9,740

158.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.22 $9.22

$5.74 COP 18.1K

60.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.36 COP 4,296

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.39 COP 7,519

64.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.70 COP 5,356

117.06%

Eggs

$5.35 $5.35

$2.87 COP 9,038

86.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$9.94 COP 31.3K

41.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$10.78 COP 34.0K

21.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.65 $20.65

$14.73 COP 46.4K

40.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.09 COP 12.9K

11.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.57 COP 4,950

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.13 COP 6,695

103.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.21 COP 6,972

135.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.05 COP 6,447

57.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.50 COP 4,737

75.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.19 COP 3,747

39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.16 COP 3,647

82.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.90 COP 12.3K

153.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 $16.81

$14.44 COP 45.5K

16.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.58 COP 4,987

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.83 COP 8,905

-48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.28 COP 4,045

128.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.09 COP 6,589

1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.42 $28.42

$8.62 COP 27.1K

229.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.30 COP 4,088

2.31%

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

$37.5K $37.5K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

35.47%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-27.11%

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

$158 $158

$176 COP 554.5K

-10.46%

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

$49.27 $49.27

$13.37 COP 42.1K

268.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.0 $86.0

$29.89 COP 94.1K

187.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 $68.2

$44.76 COP 141.0K

52.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.57 $22.57

$17.06 COP 53.7K

32.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.12 $16.12

$6.20 COP 19.5K

160.00%

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

$1,729 $1,729

$793 COP 2.5M

117.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

294.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.51 $49.51

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-42.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.65 $29.65

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-49.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$136 COP 429.3K

-16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$103 COP 324.7K

15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,593 $2,593

$1,060 COP 3.3M

144.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 $2,485

$680 COP 2.1M

265.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,760 $3,760

$2,012 COP 6.3M

86.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,392 $3,392

$1,169 COP 3.7M

190.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,911 $5,911

$4,111 COP 12.9M

43.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,937 $5,937

$1,701 COP 5.4M

248.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,004 $6,004

$665 COP 2.1M

802.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

10.94

-40.40%

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

Last update for Thousand Oaks, CA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,593 in Thousand Oaks, CA versus $1,060 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 803% higher in Thousand Oaks, CA, 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 $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $303 – 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

Thousand Oaks, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thousand Oaks, CA is pricier by about 125%, 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 $5,795 per month in Thousand Oaks, CA and $2,574 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 $98.0 in Thousand Oaks, CA and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Thousand Oaks, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Thousand Oaks, CA at $3,863. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thousand Oaks, CA 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, Thousand Oaks, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.