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: $2,693 in Laurel, MD versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,269 in Laurel, MD versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,844 in Laurel, MD versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Laurel, MD is roughly 165% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Laurel, MD is 100% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$6.14 COP 22.2K

98.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 $50.9

$33.05 COP 119.3K

54.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$7.32 COP 26.4K

38.93%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$1.66 COP 5,987

195.18%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$1.10 COP 3,987

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.78 COP 2,822

162.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.46 $6.46

$1.71 COP 6,188

277.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.68 $7.68

$3.17 COP 11.5K

142.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.11 COP 4,012

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.31 COP 4,719

174.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$1.38 COP 4,980

431.16%

Eggs

$3.89 $3.89

$2.22 COP 8,009

75.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$4.34 COP 15.7K

332.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.84 $19.84

$5.80 COP 20.9K

242.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$8.98 COP 32.4K

49.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$2.26 COP 8,164

178.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.11 COP 4,023

159.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.21 $8.21

$1.46 COP 5,284

462.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$1.37 COP 4,929

696.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.11 COP 4,009

152.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.16 COP 4,199

86.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.89 COP 3,211

222.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.87 COP 3,124

239.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.87 $7.87

$2.35 COP 8,495

234.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 $17.70

$10.86 COP 39.2K

62.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 COP 4,330

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.48 COP 8,946

52.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.79 COP 2,842

154.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.42 COP 5,137

215.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.91 COP 6,900

-14.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.47 $29.47

$7.65 COP 27.6K

285.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.97 COP 3,490

-13.40%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

45.62%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-5.26%

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

$161 $161

$81.3 COP 293.5K

98.20%

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

$53.2 $53.2

$9.63 COP 34.8K

452.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$24.36 COP 88.0K

172.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 $42.51

$26.02 COP 93.9K

63.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.99 $12.99

$3.89 COP 14.0K

233.93%

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

$1,821 $1,821

$304 COP 1.1M

498.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

298.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.55 $38.55

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-34.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 $29.63

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$102 COP 367.3K

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$108 COP 390.4K

12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$474 COP 1.7M

233.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$371 COP 1.3M

274.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$848 COP 3.1M

210.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,989 $2,989

$716 COP 2.6M

317.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 $2,195

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-23.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,502 $2,502

$1,375 COP 5.0M

81.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,346 $5,346

$542 COP 2.0M

887.25%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,582 in Laurel, MD and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Laurel, MD pays 887% 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: $51 in Laurel, MD vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $534 vs $190 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 165% in total monthly costs ($2,693 vs $1,014 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Laurel, MD pays 887% 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: $1,582 in Laurel, MD versus $474 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Laurel, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,693 per month in Laurel, MD versus $1,014 in Medellin – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,693 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 165% less than in Laurel, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.