Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,218 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,472 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,726 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

La Crosse, WI costs about 118% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Crosse, WI sits 65% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 $13.05

$5.95 COP 20.8K

119.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 $84.1

$33.33 COP 116.3K

152.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$7.23 COP 25.2K

62.66%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$1.63 COP 5,687

273.62%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$1.09 COP 3,821

174.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.73 COP 2,548

215.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.26 $6.26

$1.74 COP 6,065

259.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.23 COP 11.3K

118.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.05 COP 3,662

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.29 COP 4,515

65.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$1.32 COP 4,617

317.42%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.27 COP 7,927

78.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.35 COP 15.2K

29.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$5.88 COP 20.5K

145.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$8.61 COP 30.0K

109.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.25 COP 7,844

185.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.07 COP 3,733

64.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.52 COP 5,322

41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.42 COP 4,964

134.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.17 COP 4,084

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.17 COP 4,077

217.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.89 COP 3,096

164.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.90 COP 3,146

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$2.25 COP 7,837

438.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.04 COP 38.5K

43.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.14 COP 3,977

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.38 COP 8,301

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.84 COP 2,916

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.28 $35.28

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-15.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.41 COP 4,912

227.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.90 COP 6,634

-17.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.35 $24.35

$7.75 COP 27.0K

214.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.01 COP 3,509

-19.80%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

68.33%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-8.43%

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

$161 $161

$83.7 COP 292.1K

92.51%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$9.45 COP 33.0K

438.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 $66.6

$24.11 COP 84.1K

176.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 $40.78

$25.31 COP 88.3K

61.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.03 $4.03

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-78.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 $11.89

$4.10 COP 14.3K

190.00%

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

$1,594 $1,594

$312 COP 1.1M

410.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K $26.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

342.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 $63.2

$58.0 COP 202.6K

8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 $43.63

$32.56 COP 113.6K

34.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$109 COP 378.8K

8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 $773

$482 COP 1.7M

60.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 $1,015

$379 COP 1.3M

167.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$837 COP 2.9M

167.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$723 COP 2.5M

174.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 $1,945

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-31.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,878 $1,878

$1,223 COP 4.3M

53.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,460 $4,460

$541 COP 1.9M

724.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.43

-51.53%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in La Crosse, WI versus $482 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 725% higher in La Crosse, WI, 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 $84.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $190 – 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

La Crosse, WI vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,218 in La Crosse, WI, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 118% apart. La Crosse, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in La Crosse, WI and $1,525 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.

Groceries cost about 96% more in La Crosse, WI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in La Crosse, WI and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in La Crosse, WI at $2,218. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Crosse, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $2,218 in La Crosse, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, La Crosse, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.