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 $531 per month in La Merced vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $868 per month in La Merced vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,205 per month in La Merced vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

La Merced is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Merced and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – La Merced 60% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.85

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-31.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.86 PEN 115

$32.96 COP 105.2K

2.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 PEN 24.09

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-4.71%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.00

$1.65 COP 5,276

60.61%

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

$0.93 PEN 3.15

$1.10 COP 3,514

-15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.20

$0.78 COP 2,491

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 PEN 7.77

$1.72 COP 5,484

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 PEN 13.54

$3.18 COP 10.1K

25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$1.10 COP 3,521

35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 PEN 6.47

$1.26 COP 4,015

50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.16

$1.38 COP 4,407

-11.59%

Eggs

$2.26 PEN 7.70

$2.18 COP 6,950

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 PEN 24.17

$4.49 COP 14.3K

58.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 PEN 19.17

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 PEN 29.03

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-4.79%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.27

$2.32 COP 7,405

-58.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$1.06 COP 3,397

-59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$1.52 COP 4,838

-82.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.36 COP 4,327

-47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$1.13 COP 3,599

-74.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 PEN 1.50

$1.17 COP 3,738

-62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 PEN 1.81

$0.90 COP 2,876

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PEN 3.18

$0.90 COP 2,861

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 PEN 19.35

$2.23 COP 7,128

155.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 PEN 24.54

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.94

$1.19 COP 3,793

47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 PEN 10.10

$2.48 COP 7,920

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 PEN 11.39

$1.42 COP 4,518

135.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 PEN 7.21

$1.95 COP 6,223

8.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 PEN 27.84

$7.89 COP 25.2K

3.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PEN 4.57

$0.99 COP 3,160

35.35%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

9.51%

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

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-7.73%

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

$55.4 PEN 189

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-33.21%

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

$12.60 PEN 42.83

$9.70 COP 30.9K

29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 PEN 80.1

$23.52 COP 75.0K

0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 PEN 22.90

$3.95 COP 12.6K

70.38%

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

$215 PEN 732

$316 COP 1.0M

-31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,145 PEN 27.7K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

36.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 PEN 171

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-16.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.94 PEN 122

$31.82 COP 101.5K

12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PEN 306

$102 COP 324.4K

-11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 PEN 308

$107 COP 342.8K

-15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 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 $193 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 89% 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 $796 per month in La Merced and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $531 in La Merced and $1,003 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 $316 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 $531, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $531 versus $1,003 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.