Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $841 per month in Leon vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Leon vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,945 per month in Leon vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Leon is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leon and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Leon 37% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$6.16 COP 20.1K

112.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.23 MX$688

$32.60 COP 106.1K

20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 MX$110

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-14.58%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$63.0

$1.72 COP 5,600

108.72%

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

$1.53 MX$26.83

$1.05 COP 3,420

45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MX$15.58

$0.77 COP 2,515

15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 MX$29.27

$1.69 COP 5,488

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 MX$73.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

31.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.47

$1.05 COP 3,423

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 MX$34.29

$1.30 COP 4,236

50.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 MX$20.80

$1.40 COP 4,544

-15.00%

Eggs

$1.63 MX$28.55

$2.16 COP 7,047

-24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 MX$113

$4.39 COP 14.3K

46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 MX$94.2

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-8.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 MX$178

$8.64 COP 28.1K

17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.28

$2.28 COP 7,426

-31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MX$15.36

$1.11 COP 3,604

-20.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 MX$10.52

$1.53 COP 4,983

-60.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MX$9.00

$1.35 COP 4,410

-62.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.55

$1.13 COP 3,674

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MX$14.65

$1.13 COP 3,692

-25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MX$13.36

$0.85 COP 2,753

-10.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.11

$0.91 COP 2,975

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$71.5

$2.34 COP 7,630

73.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 MX$254

$12.37 COP 40.3K

17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$22.64

$1.20 COP 3,909

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 MX$49.51

$2.49 COP 8,104

13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MX$12.13

$0.84 COP 2,728

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.65 MX$643

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-9.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 MX$54.6

$1.42 COP 4,623

119.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 MX$15.74

$1.92 COP 6,235

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 MX$230

$7.66 COP 24.9K

71.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.12

$0.99 COP 3,223

33.33%

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

$21.4K MX$375.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

18.60%

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

$23.4K MX$409.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-12.28%

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

$21.24 MX$373

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-73.72%

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

$23.58 MX$414

$9.95 COP 32.4K

136.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.22 MX$390

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-8.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.25 MX$496

$25.08 COP 81.7K

12.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.98 MX$280

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-16.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 MX$76.4

$3.98 COP 13.0K

9.30%

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

$208 MX$3,642

$305 COP 993.5K

-31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,822 MX$49.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-53.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 MX$1,008

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.58 MX$729

$32.20 COP 104.8K

29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.5 MX$904

$101 COP 327.9K

-48.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.99 MX$491

$108 COP 350.8K

-74.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MX$3,748

$477 COP 1.6M

-55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 MX$3,849

$376 COP 1.2M

-41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MX$7,045

$845 COP 2.7M

-52.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 MX$7,495

$730 COP 2.4M

-41.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 MX$9,813

$617 COP 2.0M

-9.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

13.43

-13.10%

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

Last update for Leon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Leon versus $477 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 10% higher in Medellin, 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 $39.00 in Leon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $193 – 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

Leon vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 23% more than Leon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,261 per month in Leon and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Leon and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leon costs $841 versus $1,031 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 Leon. 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.