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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $854 per month in Leon vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,382 per month in Leon vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Leon vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Leon is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leon and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Leon 36% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.24 MX$229

$5.99 COP 21.4K

121.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 MX$675

$32.86 COP 117.4K

18.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 MX$112

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$3.71 MX$64.2

$1.71 COP 6,115

116.96%

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

$1.58 MX$27.39

$1.10 COP 3,924

43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.23

$0.78 COP 2,781

20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 MX$30.42

$1.68 COP 5,997

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 MX$70.3

$3.07 COP 11.0K

32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.05

$1.09 COP 3,906

16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 MX$33.87

$1.26 COP 4,508

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MX$19.64

$1.38 COP 4,922

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.63 MX$28.22

$2.19 COP 7,827

-25.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 MX$109

$4.40 COP 15.7K

42.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 MX$91.2

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 MX$172

$8.89 COP 31.8K

11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.77

$2.34 COP 8,349

-33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MX$15.04

$1.06 COP 3,777

-17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 MX$10.45

$1.50 COP 5,374

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MX$8.82

$1.38 COP 4,924

-63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.95

$1.15 COP 4,111

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.32

$1.16 COP 4,155

-23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MX$13.34

$0.89 COP 3,182

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.24

$0.84 COP 2,997

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.7

$2.28 COP 8,145

84.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 MX$247

$10.64 COP 38.0K

34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$23.29

$1.20 COP 4,284

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$49.22

$2.47 COP 8,824

15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.59

$0.86 COP 3,056

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.48 MX$631

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$55.9

$1.47 COP 5,264

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MX$15.39

$1.96 COP 7,009

-54.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 MX$226

$7.74 COP 27.6K

69.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.09

$0.95 COP 3,409

40.00%

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

$21.2K MX$366.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

16.89%

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

$24.1K MX$416.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-9.15%

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

$21.30 MX$368

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-74.10%

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

$23.35 MX$404

$9.50 COP 33.9K

145.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 MX$387

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.97 MX$484

$25.89 COP 92.4K

8.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 MX$279

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-15.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MX$73.7

$3.93 COP 14.0K

8.40%

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

$215 MX$3,727

$309 COP 1.1M

-30.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,851 MX$49.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-52.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$1,003

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 MX$725

$32.35 COP 115.5K

29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 MX$894

$103 COP 366.4K

-49.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.19 MX$488

$108 COP 387.2K

-74.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 MX$3,644

$476 COP 1.7M

-55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MX$3,839

$379 COP 1.4M

-41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,762

$838 COP 3.0M

-53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,340

$724 COP 2.6M

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 MX$9,892

$512 COP 1.8M

11.75%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $211 in Leon versus $476 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 12% higher in Leon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Leon versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $188 – 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 19% 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 $1,281 per month in Leon and $1,519 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 5% 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 $854, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $854 versus $1,013 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.