Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in La Merced vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $879 per month in La Merced vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,231 per month in La Merced vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

La Merced is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Merced and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 61% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 PEN 14.35

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-30.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.89 PEN 119

$32.75 COP 119.1K

3.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 PEN 23.86

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-5.56%

Cappuccino

$2.62 PEN 9.20

$1.70 COP 6,186

54.12%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$1.10 COP 3,996

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.13

$0.72 COP 2,625

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 PEN 8.01

$1.67 COP 6,067

36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 PEN 13.39

$3.10 COP 11.3K

22.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.14

$1.06 COP 3,837

38.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 PEN 6.93

$1.25 COP 4,531

57.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.33

$1.39 COP 5,060

-11.51%

Eggs

$2.25 PEN 7.91

$2.26 COP 8,229

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 PEN 23.99

$4.33 COP 15.8K

57.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 PEN 19.88

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.51 PEN 29.87

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.10

$2.24 COP 8,159

-60.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.43

$1.08 COP 3,911

-62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.93

$1.53 COP 5,563

-82.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.46

$1.37 COP 4,987

-48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.94

$1.13 COP 4,109

-76.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.41

$1.12 COP 4,067

-64.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 PEN 2.05

$0.85 COP 3,080

-30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PEN 3.24

$0.91 COP 3,305

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 PEN 18.99

$2.33 COP 8,477

132.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 PEN 25.51

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-34.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 PEN 6.12

$1.19 COP 4,342

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 PEN 10.88

$2.37 COP 8,617

30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 PEN 11.90

$1.44 COP 5,223

135.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 PEN 7.58

$1.91 COP 6,952

13.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 PEN 30.04

$8.02 COP 29.2K

6.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.79

$0.94 COP 3,410

45.74%

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

$19.7K PEN 69.0K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

9.75%

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

$24.1K PEN 84.6K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-10.09%

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

$56.5 PEN 198

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-32.67%

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

$12.55 PEN 44.05

$9.60 COP 34.9K

30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.20 PEN 85.0

$24.16 COP 87.9K

0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 PEN 24.04

$3.92 COP 14.2K

74.74%

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

$219 PEN 770

$306 COP 1.1M

-28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,883 PEN 27.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

33.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 PEN 179

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-12.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 PEN 127

$31.82 COP 115.7K

13.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 PEN 319

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 PEN 318

$107 COP 389.7K

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

13.43

-24.72%

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

Last update for La Merced: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in La Merced versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in La Merced vs $190 in Medellin – so La Merced wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Merced vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 96% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $793 per month in La Merced and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $528 in La Merced and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in La Merced and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,034. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $528 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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