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: $1,447 in Les Escaldes versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,257 in Les Escaldes versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,067 in Les Escaldes versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Les Escaldes is roughly 40% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Les Escaldes is 8% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.35 €13.43

$6.16 COP 20.1K

149.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 €27.92

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-2.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 €5.95

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

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

$1.76 €1.54

$1.05 COP 3,420

67.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$0.77 COP 2,515

46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.40 COP 4,544

13.57%

Eggs

$1.71 €1.49

$2.16 COP 7,047

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 €7.20

$4.39 COP 14.3K

87.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.91 COP 2,975

26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 €6.09

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 €44.92

$40.57 COP 132.1K

26.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.42 COP 4,623

60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$39.89 €34.90

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-50.64%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 €46.06

$24.18 COP 78.7K

117.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 €79.4

$25.08 COP 81.7K

261.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.46 €10.02

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-40.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €8.05

$3.98 COP 13.0K

131.16%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.5

$58.1 COP 189.2K

78.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 €51.3

$32.20 COP 104.8K

82.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 €70.0

$101 COP 327.9K

-20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 €81.0

$108 COP 350.8K

-14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 €826

$477 COP 1.6M

98.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$820 €717

$376 COP 1.2M

117.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 €1,889

$845 COP 2.7M

155.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 €1,520

$730 COP 2.4M

137.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K €9,853

$1,372 COP 4.5M

720.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,678 €2,343

$617 COP 2.0M

334.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Les Escaldes and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 334% 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: $32.00 in Les Escaldes vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $66.0 vs $193 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 334% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $944 in Les Escaldes versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Les Escaldes pay roughly 194% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,447 in Les Escaldes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Les Escaldes. 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.

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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Les Escaldes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.