Cost of Living Comparison Between Lawrence, KS and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lawrence, KS and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,092 per month in Lawrence, KS vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,352 per month in Lawrence, KS vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,611 per month in Lawrence, KS vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Lawrence, KS costs about 102% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lawrence, KS sits 56% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 $14.94

$5.92 COP 21.4K

152.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$32.75 COP 118.2K

128.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$7.20 COP 26.0K

39.72%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$1.70 COP 6,140

208.82%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$1.10 COP 3,966

180.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.72 COP 2,605

168.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.67 COP 6,022

195.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.10 COP 11.2K

123.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.06 COP 3,809

-21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.25 COP 4,497

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.39 COP 5,022

216.55%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.26 COP 8,168

47.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$4.33 COP 15.6K

170.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$5.84 COP 21.1K

85.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$8.83 COP 31.9K

77.46%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.24 COP 8,099

174.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.08 COP 3,882

106.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$1.53 COP 5,522

213.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.37 COP 4,950

174.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.13 COP 4,078

56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.12 COP 4,036

141.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.85 COP 3,057

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.91 COP 3,281

170.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.33 COP 8,414

245.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 $13.02

$11.13 COP 40.2K

16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.19 COP 4,309

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.37 COP 8,553

-29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.79 COP 2,838

-39.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.55 $24.55

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-40.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.44 COP 5,184

111.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.91 COP 6,901

-30.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$8.02 COP 28.9K

216.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.94 COP 3,385

-13.83%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

98.57%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

0.43%

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

$328 $328

$84.0 COP 303.1K

290.92%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$9.60 COP 34.7K

440.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$24.16 COP 87.2K

172.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.08 $45.08

$25.88 COP 93.4K

74.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.80 $11.80

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$3.92 COP 14.1K

211.73%

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

$922 $922

$306 COP 1.1M

201.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

319.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-7.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 $35.06

$31.82 COP 114.9K

10.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-3.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 $89.1

$107 COP 386.8K

-16.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 $938

$487 COP 1.8M

92.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 $803

$368 COP 1.3M

118.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$826 COP 3.0M

93.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 $1,807

$716 COP 2.6M

152.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 $2,413

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-17.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,074 $2,074

$1,407 COP 5.1M

47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,796 $3,796

$546 COP 2.0M

595.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

13.43

-51.97%

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

Last update for Lawrence, KS: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Lawrence, KS versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 596% higher in Lawrence, KS, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Lawrence, KS versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Lawrence, KS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lawrence, KS costs about 102% more than Medellin, 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 $3,138 per month in Lawrence, KS and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Lawrence, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Lawrence, KS and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Lawrence, KS at $2,092. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lawrence, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $2,092 in Lawrence, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lawrence, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.