Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,288 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,846 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,404 in Lakewood, WA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Lakewood, WA is roughly 96% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lakewood, WA 140% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.07 $18.07

$8.02 COP 25.4K

125.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 $67.8

$47.87 COP 152.0K

41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$9.89 COP 31.4K

12.94%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$3.13 COP 9,937

51.12%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.91 COP 6,058

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.51 COP 4,794

41.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.12 COP 9,917

25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$5.75 COP 18.3K

1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.44 COP 4,587

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.49 COP 7,894

81.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.77 COP 5,631

81.92%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.96 COP 9,396

70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$10.07 COP 32.0K

50.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-13.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-21.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.14 COP 13.1K

8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.61 COP 5,106

37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.25 COP 7,129

73.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.25 COP 7,150

81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.04 COP 6,486

4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.54 COP 4,873

42.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.17 COP 3,715

74.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.31 COP 4,148

141.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.37 $12.37

$3.90 COP 12.4K

217.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$14.01 COP 44.5K

12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.74 COP 5,534

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.87 COP 9,112

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.22 COP 3,858

59.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$204 $204

$80.5 COP 255.5K

153.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.31 COP 4,155

56.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 $0.65

$2.19 COP 6,944

-70.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.77 $28.77

$8.71 COP 27.7K

230.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.37 COP 4,334

-0.73%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

26.17%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-27.51%

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

$348 $348

$177 COP 562.9K

96.15%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$13.88 COP 44.1K

344.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 $85.0

$29.72 COP 94.4K

185.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.90 $41.90

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-6.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 $24.92

$17.12 COP 54.4K

45.56%

Cinema Ticket

$19.68 $19.68

$6.65 COP 21.1K

195.94%

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

$2,038 $2,038

$813 COP 2.6M

150.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

141.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-26.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.01 $38.01

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-35.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$138 COP 438.8K

-27.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$102 COP 324.2K

46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$1,062 COP 3.4M

85.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,730 $1,730

$663 COP 2.1M

161.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,335 $3,335

$1,888 COP 6.0M

76.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 $3,114

$1,027 COP 3.3M

203.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,594 $2,594

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-37.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,425 $2,425

$1,675 COP 5.3M

44.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

10.94

-44.24%

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

Last update for Lakewood, WA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,970 in Lakewood, WA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Lakewood, WA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Lakewood, WA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lakewood, WA and Medellin differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($3,288 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,932 in Lakewood, WA and $2,521 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,970 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $68.0 in Lakewood, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,288 per month in Lakewood, WA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,288 in Lakewood, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lakewood, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lakewood, WA and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.