✦ Compare
Houston vs
Medellín
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Medellín, CO, you'd need
$37,056 / year
Medellín, CO is 51% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Medellín, CO vs Houston, TX)
- Housing-58%
- Food & groceries-50%
- Transport-61%
- Utilities-48%
- Healthcare-44%
- Goods & services-41%
▤ Full comparison
| Houston, TX | Medellín, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 100 | 49 |
| Housing | 100 | 42 |
| Food | 96 | 48 |
| Transport | 102 | 40 |
| Utilities | 106 | 55 |
| Healthcare | 98 | 55 |
| Goods & services | 99 | 58 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,400/mo | $550/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,100/mo | $350/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,600/mo | $1,100/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $3,300 | $1,800 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,002 | $2,029 |
| Inexpensive meal | $16 | $5 |
| Monthly transit pass | $60 | $40 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 37% | 39% |
| VAT / sales tax | 0% | 19% |
| Social security (employee) | 7.7% | — |
| Corporate tax | 21% | 35% |
| Capital gains | 20% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $4,300/mo | $450/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,257/mo | $330/mo |
| GDP per capita | $90,027 | $6,976 |
| Inflation (annual) | — | 5.2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Native | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 45 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 | UTC-5 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 48 | 48 |
| Healthcare index | 78 | 70 |
| Pollution index | 50 | 55 |
| Internet speed | 200 Mbps | 80 Mbps |
| Walkability | 48 | 55 |
| Public transport | 42 | 68 |
| Family-friendly | 62 | 58 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | $450/mo | — |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr | 74 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +12 °C | +22 °C |
| July avg | +30 °C | +22 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 204 | 200 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,260 mm | 1,600 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1.5 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Colombia. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Houston to Medellín: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Houston to Medellín, your cost of living will be roughly 51% cheaper. Medellín’s cost-of-living index is 49 versus 100 for Houston (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Houston cheaper than Medellín?
Medellín is about 51% cheaper than Houston overall — its cost-of-living index is 49 versus 100 for Houston.
How much do you need to earn in Medellín to live like in Houston?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Houston is worth about $37,056 in Medellín. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Houston or Medellín?
United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 39% in Colombia.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.