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 $566 per month in La Merced vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $926 per month in La Merced vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in La Merced vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

La Merced is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Merced sits 59% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.15

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-44.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 PEN 121

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-25.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.73

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-28.92%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$3.13 COP 9,937

9.27%

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

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$1.91 COP 6,058

-40.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$1.51 COP 4,794

-58.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.15

$3.12 COP 9,917

-13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 PEN 15.48

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.67

$1.44 COP 4,587

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 PEN 6.94

$2.49 COP 7,894

-17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.77 COP 5,631

-26.55%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.96 COP 9,396

-18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 PEN 25.31

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-25.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.12

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-41.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 PEN 30.66

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-36.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-75.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.61 COP 5,106

-70.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$2.25 COP 7,129

-86.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$2.25 COP 7,150

-68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$2.04 COP 6,486

-84.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.59

$1.54 COP 4,873

-69.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$1.17 COP 3,715

-47.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$1.31 COP 4,148

-27.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 PEN 20.05

$3.90 COP 12.4K

52.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 PEN 25.76

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-45.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.68

$1.74 COP 5,534

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 PEN 11.18

$2.87 COP 9,112

15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 PEN 13.91

$1.31 COP 4,155

214.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.93

$2.19 COP 6,944

-6.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 PEN 24.87

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$1.37 COP 4,334

25.55%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-19.79%

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

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-27.73%

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

$70.0 PEN 236

$177 COP 562.9K

-60.50%

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

$17.07 PEN 57.6

$13.88 COP 44.1K

22.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 PEN 95.1

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.64

$6.65 COP 21.1K

14.29%

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

$183 PEN 618

$813 COP 2.6M

-77.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

44.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 PEN 184

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-39.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 PEN 119

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-40.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 PEN 286

$138 COP 438.8K

-38.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 PEN 272

$102 COP 324.2K

-20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

10.94

-18.28%

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

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in La Merced versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $305 – making La Merced 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 Merced vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 197% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $849 per month in La Merced and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $566 in La Merced and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in La Merced and $813 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 $566, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $566 versus $1,681 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.