Cost of Living Comparison Between Leticia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Leticia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $828 in Leticia versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Leticia versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,680 in Leticia versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Leticia costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leticia 38% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 COP 13.3K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-33.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.70 COP 77.2K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-27.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 COP 23.0K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.81%

Cappuccino

$1.49 COP 4,846

$1.72 COP 5,600

-13.37%

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

$0.88 COP 2,852

$1.05 COP 3,420

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,869

$0.77 COP 2,515

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.69 COP 5,488

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,261

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,613

$1.05 COP 3,423

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,163

$1.30 COP 4,236

-1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,255

$1.40 COP 4,544

-28.57%

Eggs

$1.87 COP 6,090

$2.16 COP 7,047

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 COP 14.2K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 COP 16.7K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-12.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 COP 23.8K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-15.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.9K

$2.28 COP 7,426

74.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 COP 6,164

$1.11 COP 3,604

70.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,267

$1.53 COP 4,983

-14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 COP 2,806

$1.35 COP 4,410

-36.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,791

$1.13 COP 3,674

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,782

$1.13 COP 3,692

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,674

$0.85 COP 2,753

-3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,266

$0.91 COP 2,975

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 COP 7,809

$2.34 COP 7,630

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 COP 34.0K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,512

$1.20 COP 3,909

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 5,825

$2.49 COP 8,104

-28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,190

$0.84 COP 2,728

-20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.60 COP 99.6K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-24.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 4,765

$1.42 COP 4,623

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 5,624

$1.92 COP 6,235

-9.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 COP 19.9K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-20.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,220

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$17.8K COP 58.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-1.04%

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

$25.4K COP 82.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.55%

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

$82.1 COP 267.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

1.55%

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

$9.12 COP 29.7K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 COP 73.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.27 COP 75.8K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 COP 12.5K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-3.52%

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

$241 COP 785.6K

$305 COP 993.5K

-20.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 COP 19.2M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-2.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 COP 190.4K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.32 COP 108.5K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

3.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 COP 268.9K

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 COP 236.0K

$108 COP 350.8K

-32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 COP 921.0K

$477 COP 1.6M

-40.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 779.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 COP 1.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 COP 1.4M

$730 COP 2.4M

-41.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 COP 6.5M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 COP 3.9M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-12.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 COP 1.3M

$617 COP 2.0M

-34.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

13.43

-1.86%

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

Last update for Leticia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Leticia and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 52% 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: $24.00 in Leticia vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $193 per month, with Leticia 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

Leticia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leticia wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Leticia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Leticia versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Leticia – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $828 per month in Leticia versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $828 in Leticia versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Leticia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Leticia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Leticia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $828 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Leticia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Leticia 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 Leticia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.