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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,582 in Lexington, MA versus $1,662 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,496 in Lexington, MA versus $2,451 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,409 in Lexington, MA versus $3,241 in Medellin.

Living in Lexington, MA is roughly 55% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lexington, MA 90% above, Medellin 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$7.94 COP 24.9K

155.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$43.55 COP 136.6K

72.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.24 $16.24

$9.73 COP 30.5K

66.91%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$2.92 COP 9,156

68.15%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$1.88 COP 5,908

46.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 COP 4,807

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.25 COP 10.2K

114.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$5.62 COP 17.6K

44.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.30 COP 4,093

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.32 COP 7,290

70.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.43 COP 4,498

173.43%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.82 COP 8,847

68.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$8.94 COP 28.1K

30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$10.74 COP 33.7K

-4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.45 COP 45.3K

2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$3.97 COP 12.4K

21.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.38 COP 4,336

34.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.26 COP 7,084

88.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.10 COP 6,583

112.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.09 COP 6,569

30.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.60 COP 5,024

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.04 COP 3,262

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.28 COP 4,001

88.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 $10.46

$3.95 COP 12.4K

164.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$13.37 COP 41.9K

6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.66 COP 5,201

20.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.98 COP 9,336

30.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.23 COP 3,848

73.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 COP 246.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.51 COP 4,723

96.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.04 COP 6,402

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 $27.55

$8.52 COP 26.7K

223.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.35 COP 4,227

-27.41%

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

$39.1K $39.1K

$28.1K COP 88.1M

39.13%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$36.0K COP 113.0M

-28.75%

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

$198 $198

$152 COP 477.0K

30.32%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$13.16 COP 41.3K

345.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$31.61 COP 99.2K

119.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$47.90 COP 150.3K

-14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 $13.92

$6.41 COP 20.1K

117.16%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$853 COP 2.7M

67.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$8,701 COP 27.3M

170.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 $56.8

$91.0 COP 285.5K

-37.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.51 $44.51

$54.6 COP 171.3K

-18.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$136 COP 426.4K

-33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$109 COP 341.3K

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$963 COP 3.0M

57.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$658 COP 2.1M

103.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$1,985 COP 6.2M

18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 $3,532

$1,158 COP 3.6M

205.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,764 $2,764

$3,664 COP 11.5M

-24.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 $2,402

$1,573 COP 4.9M

52.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

10.43

-41.32%

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

Last update for Lexington, MA: August 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,513 in Lexington, MA and $963 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Lexington, MA vs $44.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $295 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, MA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lexington, MA and Medellin differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($2,582 vs $1,662 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,873 in Lexington, MA and $2,493 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,513 in Lexington, MA versus $963 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Lexington, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,582 per month in Lexington, MA versus $1,662 in Medellin – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,662 in Medellin versus $2,582 in Lexington, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lexington, MA. 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, Lexington, MA 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 55% less than in Lexington, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.