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 $525 per month in La Merced vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in La Merced vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,209 per month in La Merced vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

La Merced is about 48% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 PEN 14.06

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-30.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.61 PEN 114

$33.33 COP 116.3K

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 PEN 24.13

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-1.80%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$1.63 COP 5,687

62.58%

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

$0.99 PEN 3.36

$1.09 COP 3,821

-9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$0.73 COP 2,548

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 PEN 7.66

$1.74 COP 6,065

29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 PEN 13.31

$3.23 COP 11.3K

21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.01

$1.05 COP 3,662

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 PEN 6.65

$1.29 COP 4,515

51.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.33

$1.32 COP 4,617

-3.79%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.74

$2.27 COP 7,927

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 PEN 22.89

$4.35 COP 15.2K

54.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 PEN 28.60

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.19

$2.25 COP 7,844

-58.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.41 PEN 1.39

$1.07 COP 3,733

-61.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.52 COP 5,322

-80.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$1.42 COP 4,964

-52.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.17 COP 4,084

-75.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.47

$1.17 COP 4,077

-63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 PEN 1.96

$0.89 COP 3,096

-34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.90 COP 3,146

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 PEN 18.79

$2.25 COP 7,837

145.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 PEN 23.91

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-36.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 PEN 6.04

$1.14 COP 3,977

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 PEN 10.17

$2.38 COP 8,301

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 PEN 11.22

$1.41 COP 4,912

134.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$1.90 COP 6,634

15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 PEN 28.73

$7.75 COP 27.0K

9.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$1.01 COP 3,509

32.67%

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

$19.2K PEN 65.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

9.22%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.65%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-32.28%

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

$12.69 PEN 43.15

$9.45 COP 33.0K

34.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 82.1

$24.11 COP 84.1K

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 PEN 23.34

$4.10 COP 14.3K

67.56%

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

$215 PEN 731

$312 COP 1.1M

-31.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,905 PEN 26.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

31.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.51 PEN 168

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-14.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.14 PEN 123

$32.56 COP 113.6K

11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 304

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 310

$109 COP 378.8K

-16.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 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 – $177 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 94% 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 $787 per month in La Merced and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $525 in La Merced and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $215 per month in La Merced and $312 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 $525, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $525 versus $1,017 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.