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Medellín vs Nashville

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Medellín, CO vs Nashville, TN at a glance — Nashville, TN is 98% more expensive than Medellín, CO overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,550/mo versus $550/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 39%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Nashville, TN, you'd need

$148,539 / year

Nashville, TN is 98% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Nashville, TN vs Medellín, CO)

  • Housing+157%
  • Food & groceries+90%
  • Transport+138%
  • Utilities+62%
  • Healthcare+65%
  • Goods & services+64%

◎ How Medellín, CO and Nashville, TN compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Medellín, CONashville, TN

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Medellín, CONashville, TN
Cost of living
Overall cost index4998
Housing42108
Food4891
Transport4095
Utilities5589
Healthcare5591
Goods & services5895
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$550/mo$1,550/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$350/mo$1,250/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,100/mo$2,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$1,800$4,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$2,029$1,024
Inexpensive meal$5$17
Monthly transit pass$40$88
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)39%37%
VAT / sales tax19%0%
Social security (employee)—7.7%
Corporate tax35%21%
Capital gains—20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$450/mo$4,300/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)—$86,977✓
Minimum wage$330/mo$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$6,976✓$90,027✓
Inflation (annual)5.2%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyLowNative
Coworking spaces4040
Time zoneUTC-5UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5957
Safety index4855
Healthcare index7078
Pollution index5540
Internet speed80 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability5530
Public transport6830
Family-friendly5864
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy74 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+22 °C+4 °C
July avg+22 °C+27 °C
Sunny days / year200208
Rainfall / year1,600 mm1,200 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Colombia vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Medellín vs Nashville — in your currency

MedellínNashville
1-bed rent, city centre$550$1,550
1-bed rent, outside centre$350$1,250
Inexpensive meal$5$17
Monthly transit pass$40$88
Utilities (monthly)$60$160

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Medellín

A dramatic turnaround story with a year-round spring climate and a modern metro. El Poblado and Laureles anchor a booming nomad scene; costs are low and healthcare excellent, but safety still varies sharply by neighbourhood.

Currency
Colombian peso ($ COP)
Languages
Spanish
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
80 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
48/100
Climate
❄ 22°C · ☀ 22°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 110V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
El Poblado · Laureles · Envigado · Belén

Good to know before you move to Nashville

Live-music capital with no state income tax and a hot job market — booming, and car-centric.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 4°C · ☀ 27°C · 208 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
The Gulch · East Nashville · Germantown

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Medellín to Nashville: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Medellín to Nashville, your cost of living will be roughly 98% more expensive. Nashville’s cost-of-living index is 98 versus 49 for Medellín (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Medellín cheaper than Nashville?

Nashville is about 98% more expensive than Medellín overall — its cost-of-living index is 98 versus 49 for Medellín.

Which is more expensive, Medellín or Nashville?

Nashville is more expensive than Medellín. Its cost-of-living index is 98 vs 49 (US = 100) — about 100% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Medellín or Nashville?

Rent is cheaper in Medellín — about $550/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,550 in Nashville.

How much do you need to earn in Nashville to live like in Medellín?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Medellín is worth about $148,539 in Nashville. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Medellín or Nashville?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 39% in Colombia.

◷ More comparisons from Medellín

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.