$100K in Austin = $28,689 in Medellín

Your $100K salary in Austin (COL 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,689 in Medellín (COL 35). Medellín is cheaper — your money goes 71% further there.

$100K in Austin, TX
$6,321/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (28% of take-home)
Manageable
$28,689/yr in Medellín, CO
$1,957/mo take-home
Rent: $500/mo (26% of take-home)
Comfortable

Budget breakdown — $100K in both cities

What $100K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Austin
$100K
Medellín
$100K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$6,321$6,321
1BR rent$1,800$500
Groceries$372$380
Transport$50$150
Utilities$170$55
Internet$65$30
Left after essentials$3,864/month$5,206/month
To match your Austin purchasing power in Medellín, you'd need to earn $28,689/year (71% less than $100K). At that salary, you'd have $842/mo left after essentials — vs $3,864/mo in Austin.

Frequently asked questions

What is $100K in Austin equivalent to in Medellín?

$100K in Austin (COL index 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,689 in Medellín (COL index 35). That's 71% less than your current salary.

If I move from Austin to Medellín keeping my $100K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $100K after moving to Medellín, you'd have $1,342 more per month after core expenses — because Medellín is cheaper than Austin.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $100K × (35 ÷ 122) = $28,689. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only