Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $370 in Les Escaldes versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,829 in Les Escaldes versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,287 in Les Escaldes versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Les Escaldes costs roughly 78% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Les Escaldes is 73% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 €12.96

$8.03 COP 25.3K

87.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.47 €34.92

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.88

$9.77 COP 30.8K

40.94%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.28

$2.91 COP 9,167

-9.28%

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

$2.66 €2.30

$1.94 COP 6,122

37.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.52 COP 4,792

11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 €2.79

$3.09 COP 9,740

4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.80

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-43.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.36 COP 4,296

61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

Eggs

$4.39 €3.79

$2.87 COP 9,038

52.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.55 €15.14

$14.73 COP 46.4K

19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.09 COP 12.9K

2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 €5.12

$3.90 COP 12.3K

52.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 €5.89

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.17 COP 3,679

101.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.30 COP 4,088

38.46%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$176 COP 554.5K

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 €2,479

$2,012 COP 6.3M

42.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 €2,022

$1,169 COP 3.7M

100.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K €9,997

$1,701 COP 5.4M

580.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,763 €2,384

$665 COP 2.1M

315.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Les Escaldes pays 315% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Les Escaldes vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $303 per month, with Les Escaldes 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

Les Escaldes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Les Escaldes and Medellin differ by about 364% in total monthly costs ($370 vs $1,716 including rent). Les Escaldes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 315% higher in Les Escaldes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Les Escaldes – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $370 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 364% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $370 in Les Escaldes versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Les Escaldes but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Les Escaldes 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.

Safety-wise, Les Escaldes and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Les Escaldes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 364% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.