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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,390 per month in Houma, LA vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,458 per month in Houma, LA vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,527 per month in Houma, LA vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Houma, LA costs about 135% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Houma, LA sits 79% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.07 $15.07

$5.93 COP 19.1K

154.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.03 $49.03

$33.12 COP 106.4K

48.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$7.12 COP 22.9K

37.92%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$1.71 COP 5,480

223.98%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$1.05 COP 3,370

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.72 COP 2,321

184.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.72 COP 5,524

78.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.17 COP 10.2K

51.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.06 COP 3,422

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.31 COP 4,209

122.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.33 COP 4,273

78.95%

Eggs

$1.72 $1.72

$2.28 COP 7,328

-24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 $10.54

$4.42 COP 14.2K

138.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.31 $11.31

$5.92 COP 19.0K

91.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 $15.22

$8.64 COP 27.8K

76.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.34 COP 7,535

132.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.10 COP 3,541

14.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.47 COP 4,718

247.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.38 COP 4,433

176.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.17 COP 3,769

84.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.17 COP 3,760

139.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.90 COP 2,902

118.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.84 COP 2,704

113.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 $8.58

$2.33 COP 7,480

268.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 $12.97

$11.92 COP 38.3K

8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.15 COP 3,688

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.42 COP 7,780

16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.84 COP 2,698

132.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.41 COP 4,535

176.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.91 COP 6,152

-36.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.1 $59.1

$7.83 COP 25.1K

654.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.94 COP 3,033

-14.89%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

108.99%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-6.37%

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

$140 $140

$83.3 COP 267.5K

68.70%

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

$44.52 $44.52

$9.66 COP 31.0K

360.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.00 $47.00

$24.22 COP 77.8K

94.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.38 $27.38

$25.22 COP 81.1K

8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$4.07 COP 13.1K

190.42%

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

$1,307 $1,307

$307 COP 985.2K

326.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

70.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.32 $36.32

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.03 $42.03

$32.65 COP 104.9K

28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 $73.0

$101 COP 324.8K

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 $79.6

$108 COP 347.2K

-26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$476 COP 1.5M

113.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$379 COP 1.2M

252.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,620 $2,620

$816 COP 2.6M

220.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$707 COP 2.3M

211.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,473 $1,473

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-53.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 $1,464

$1,446 COP 4.6M

1.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,721 $3,721

$622 COP 2.0M

498.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

13.43

-50.78%

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

Last update for Houma, LA: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,019 in Houma, LA versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 498% higher in Houma, LA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Houma, LA versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $192 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Houma, LA is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,584 per month in Houma, LA and $1,527 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,390 in Houma, LA and $1,018 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,307 per month in Houma, LA and $307 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Houma, LA at $2,390. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Houma, LA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Houma, LA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.