✦ Compare
Medellín vs
Seattle
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 Seattle, WA, you'd need
$172,170 / year
Seattle, WA is 130% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Seattle, WA vs Medellín, CO)
- Housing+248%
- Food & groceries+106%
- Transport+155%
- Utilities+55%
- Healthcare+85%
- Goods & services+74%
▤ Full comparison
| Medellín, CO | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 49 | 113 |
| Housing | 42 | 146 |
| Food | 48 | 99 |
| Transport | 40 | 102 |
| Utilities | 55 | 85 |
| Healthcare | 55 | 102 |
| Goods & services | 58 | 101 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $550/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $350/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,100/mo | $4,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $1,800 | $9,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $2,029 | $884 |
| Inexpensive meal | $5 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $40 | $99 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 39% | 37% |
| VAT / sales tax | 19% | 0% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 7.7% |
| Corporate tax | 35% | 21% |
| Capital gains | — | 20% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $450/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Minimum wage | $330/mo | $1,257/mo |
| GDP per capita | $6,976 | $90,027 |
| Inflation (annual) | 5.2% | — |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | Low | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | UTC-8 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 48 | 52 |
| Healthcare index | 70 | 80 |
| Pollution index | 55 | 30 |
| Internet speed | 80 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 55 | 74 |
| Public transport | 68 | 70 |
| Family-friendly | 58 | 62 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $450/mo |
| Life expectancy | 74 yr | 79 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +22 °C | +5 °C |
| July avg | +22 °C | +19 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 200 | 152 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,600 mm | 950 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1.5 h | 1.5 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Colombia vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Medellín to Seattle: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Medellín to Seattle, your cost of living will be roughly 130% more expensive. Seattle’s cost-of-living index is 113 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 Seattle?
Seattle is about 130% more expensive than Medellín overall — its cost-of-living index is 113 versus 49 for Medellín.
How much do you need to earn in Seattle to live like in Medellín?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Medellín is worth about $172,170 in Seattle. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Medellín or Seattle?
United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 39% in Colombia.
◷ More comparisons from Medellín
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.