Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,299 in Lexington, KY versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Lexington, KY versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,434 in Lexington, KY versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Lexington, KY is roughly 129% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$5.91 COP 18.9K

150.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$32.96 COP 105.2K

110.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.43 COP 23.7K

36.74%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$1.65 COP 5,276

207.88%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.10 COP 3,514

101.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.78 COP 2,491

132.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.72 COP 5,484

182.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$3.18 COP 10.1K

148.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.10 COP 3,521

-30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.26 COP 4,015

137.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.38 COP 4,407

231.16%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.18 COP 6,950

52.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$4.49 COP 14.3K

186.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$5.79 COP 18.5K

94.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$8.97 COP 28.6K

82.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.32 COP 7,405

96.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.06 COP 3,397

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.52 COP 4,838

135.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.36 COP 4,327

228.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.13 COP 3,599

191.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.17 COP 3,738

171.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.90 COP 2,876

125.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.90 COP 2,861

107.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$2.23 COP 7,128

248.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$12.12 COP 38.7K

7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.19 COP 3,793

126.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.48 COP 7,920

31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.85 COP 2,723

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.97 $29.97

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-27.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.42 COP 4,518

257.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.95 COP 6,223

-14.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$7.89 COP 25.2K

274.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.99 COP 3,160

-19.19%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

30.21%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-3.97%

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

$210 $210

$83.0 COP 264.9K

153.25%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$9.70 COP 30.9K

625.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$23.52 COP 75.0K

186.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 $34.43

$25.26 COP 80.6K

36.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 $30.05

$19.10 COP 60.9K

57.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$3.95 COP 12.6K

282.28%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$316 COP 1.0M

264.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

321.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$31.82 COP 101.5K

8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$102 COP 324.4K

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$107 COP 342.8K

48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$475 COP 1.5M

133.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$374 COP 1.2M

177.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 $2,121

$849 COP 2.7M

149.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$719 COP 2.3M

139.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 $2,085

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-36.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,042 $2,042

$1,441 COP 4.6M

41.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 $4,058

$624 COP 2.0M

549.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,111 in Lexington, KY and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 550% 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: $69.0 in Lexington, KY vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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

Lexington, KY vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Lexington, KY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 550% higher in Lexington, KY, 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: $1,111 in Lexington, KY versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $69.0 in Lexington, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,299 per month in Lexington, KY versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,299 in Lexington, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lexington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lexington, KY 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 129% less than in Lexington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.