Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,708 per month in Union City, CA vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,974 per month in Union City, CA vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,240 per month in Union City, CA vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Union City, CA costs about 166% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Union City, CA sits 103% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.57 $21.57

$5.93 COP 19.0K

263.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$33.12 COP 106.0K

130.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$7.12 COP 22.8K

57.44%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$1.71 COP 5,457

237.43%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$1.05 COP 3,356

180.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$0.72 COP 2,311

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.48 $7.48

$1.72 COP 5,502

334.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$3.17 COP 10.2K

177.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.06 COP 3,408

14.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.31 COP 4,192

167.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.33 COP 4,256

306.02%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.28 COP 7,298

68.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$4.42 COP 14.1K

327.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 $9.57

$5.92 COP 18.9K

61.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$8.64 COP 27.7K

3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.34 COP 7,504

113.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.10 COP 3,527

145.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.47 COP 4,698

112.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$1.38 COP 4,415

385.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.17 COP 3,754

82.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.17 COP 3,744

256.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.90 COP 2,890

146.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$0.84 COP 2,693

277.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$2.33 COP 7,449

407.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 $13.14

$11.92 COP 38.1K

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.15 COP 3,673

53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.42 COP 7,749

13.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.84 COP 2,687

134.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.41 COP 4,517

146.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.91 COP 6,127

2.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.27 $29.27

$7.83 COP 25.0K

273.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.94 COP 3,020

34.04%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

68.07%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-7.06%

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

$193 $193

$83.3 COP 266.4K

131.20%

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

$47.93 $47.93

$9.66 COP 30.9K

396.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$24.22 COP 77.5K

223.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.94 $42.94

$25.22 COP 80.7K

70.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$12.69 $12.69

$4.07 COP 13.0K

211.79%

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

$1,677 $1,677

$307 COP 981.2K

446.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K $32.8K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

448.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.88 $21.88

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-63.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.48 $35.48

$32.65 COP 104.5K

8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$101 COP 323.5K

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 $236

$108 COP 345.7K

118.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$476 COP 1.5M

230.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$379 COP 1.2M

259.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,297 $5,297

$816 COP 2.6M

548.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 $2,260

$707 COP 2.3M

219.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,159 $7,159

$622 COP 2.0M

1051.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Union City, CA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,575 in Union City, CA 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 1052% higher in Union City, 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 $76.0 in Union City, CA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $192 – 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

Union City, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Union City, CA is pricier by about 166%, 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 $4,062 per month in Union City, CA and $1,527 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 $76.0 in Union City, CA 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 111% more in Union City, CA, 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 $1,018, than in Union City, CA at $2,708. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Union City, 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, Union City, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.