Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,618 in Covington, LA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,772 in Covington, LA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,927 in Covington, LA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Covington, LA is roughly 56% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Covington, LA 91% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$8.02 COP 25.4K

131.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$47.87 COP 152.0K

15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$9.89 COP 31.4K

22.65%

Cappuccino

$3.06 $3.06

$3.13 COP 9,937

-2.24%

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

$1.76 $1.76

$1.91 COP 6,058

-7.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.51 COP 4,794

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.12 COP 9,917

32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 $5.33

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-7.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.44 COP 4,587

-43.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.49 COP 7,894

40.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.77 COP 5,631

53.11%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$2.96 COP 9,396

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-49.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 $14.23

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-5.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.61 COP 5,106

-49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.25 COP 7,129

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.25 COP 7,150

93.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.04 COP 6,486

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.54 COP 4,873

79.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.17 COP 3,715

78.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.31 COP 4,148

68.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$3.90 COP 12.4K

137.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$14.01 COP 44.5K

6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.74 COP 5,534

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.87 COP 9,112

33.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.31 COP 4,155

93.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.19 COP 6,944

-26.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.31 $26.31

$8.71 COP 27.7K

202.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.37 COP 4,334

-27.74%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

33.64%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-25.82%

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

$305 $305

$177 COP 562.9K

71.76%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$13.88 COP 44.1K

270.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$29.72 COP 94.4K

140.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 $65.2

$44.88 COP 142.5K

45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 $10.07

$6.65 COP 21.1K

51.43%

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

$606 $606

$813 COP 2.6M

-25.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K $14.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

52.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 $46.63

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-47.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 $40.02

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$138 COP 438.8K

-37.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 $93.3

$102 COP 324.2K

-8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 $1,667

$1,062 COP 3.4M

56.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 $1,439

$663 COP 2.1M

117.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,187 $3,187

$1,888 COP 6.0M

68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$1,027 COP 3.3M

133.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,665 $6,665

$4,183 COP 13.3M

59.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,122 $4,122

$1,675 COP 5.3M

146.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,774 $4,774

$678 COP 2.2M

604.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

10.94

-43.24%

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

Last update for Covington, LA: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,667 in Covington, LA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Covington, LA pays 604% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Covington, LA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Covington, LA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 604% higher in Covington, LA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,667 in Covington, LA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Covington, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,618 per month in Covington, LA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,618 in Covington, LA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Covington, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Covington, LA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Covington, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.