Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,637 in Laurel, MD versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,173 in Laurel, MD versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,708 in Laurel, MD versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Laurel, MD is roughly 160% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Laurel, MD is 97% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 $11.81

$5.99 COP 21.3K

97.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 $49.36

$32.86 COP 116.9K

50.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.09 COP 25.2K

43.30%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$1.71 COP 6,093

190.06%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.10 COP 3,910

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.78 COP 2,771

155.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.68 COP 5,976

280.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$3.07 COP 10.9K

155.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.09 COP 3,892

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.26 COP 4,492

176.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$1.38 COP 4,905

408.70%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$2.19 COP 7,799

81.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$4.40 COP 15.7K

332.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.57 $20.57

$5.63 COP 20.0K

265.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$8.89 COP 31.6K

50.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$2.34 COP 8,319

166.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.06 COP 3,764

171.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.00 $8.00

$1.50 COP 5,355

433.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$1.38 COP 4,906

702.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.15 COP 4,097

153.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.16 COP 4,141

84.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$0.89 COP 3,170

223.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.84 COP 2,986

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 $8.21

$2.28 COP 8,116

260.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 $17.70

$10.64 COP 37.9K

66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.20 COP 4,268

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.47 COP 8,793

50.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.86 COP 3,045

127.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.47 COP 5,245

197.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.96 COP 6,984

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 $29.01

$7.74 COP 27.5K

274.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.95 COP 3,397

-7.37%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

43.85%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-5.55%

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

$163 $163

$82.3 COP 292.7K

97.65%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$9.50 COP 33.8K

450.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$24.23 COP 86.2K

171.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 $43.42

$25.89 COP 92.1K

67.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$3.93 COP 14.0K

234.35%

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

$1,872 $1,872

$309 COP 1.1M

504.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

286.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.80 $37.80

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 $29.57

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-8.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$103 COP 365.1K

-12.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$108 COP 385.8K

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$476 COP 1.7M

232.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$379 COP 1.3M

257.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 $2,584

$838 COP 3.0M

208.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,988 $2,988

$724 COP 2.6M

312.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 $2,222

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-20.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,504 $2,504

$1,211 COP 4.3M

106.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,423 $5,423

$512 COP 1.8M

959.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.43

-51.23%

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

Last update for Laurel, MD: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Laurel, MD and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Laurel, MD pays 960% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Laurel, MD vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $188 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

Laurel, MD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laurel, MD and Medellin differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($2,637 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Laurel, MD pays 960% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,583 in Laurel, MD versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 185% higher in Laurel, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,637 per month in Laurel, MD versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,637 in Laurel, MD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Laurel, MD. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Laurel, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.