Cost of Living Comparison Between Libertad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Libertad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,059 in Libertad versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,713 in Libertad versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,367 in Libertad versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Libertad costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 UYU 601

$8.02 COP 25.5K

86.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.0 UYU 2,450

$47.87 COP 152.0K

27.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.55 UYU 544

$9.89 COP 31.4K

37.01%

Cappuccino

$4.52 UYU 181

$3.13 COP 9,941

44.41%

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

$2.60 UYU 104

$1.91 COP 6,061

36.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.3

$1.51 COP 4,796

32.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 UYU 189

$3.12 COP 9,921

50.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 UYU 154

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 UYU 54.0

$1.44 COP 4,590

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 UYU 118

$2.49 COP 7,898

17.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

$1.77 COP 5,634

1.13%

Eggs

$4.75 UYU 191

$2.96 COP 9,400

60.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 UYU 562

$10.07 COP 32.0K

39.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.97 UYU 481

$10.12 COP 32.1K

18.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 UYU 458

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-20.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-31.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 UYU 118

$1.61 COP 5,109

82.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.2

$2.25 COP 7,132

-19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 UYU 123

$2.25 COP 7,154

36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.9

$2.04 COP 6,489

3.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 UYU 90.4

$1.54 COP 4,876

46.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 UYU 56.8

$1.17 COP 3,716

21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 78.0

$1.31 COP 4,150

48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 UYU 220

$3.90 COP 12.4K

40.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 UYU 320

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 89.9

$1.74 COP 5,536

28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 UYU 111

$2.87 COP 9,116

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 UYU 73.3

$1.31 COP 4,157

38.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.42

$2.19 COP 6,947

-81.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.49 UYU 421

$8.71 COP 27.7K

20.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 UYU 86.3

$1.37 COP 4,336

56.93%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-1.18%

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

$37.4K UYU 1.5M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

4.45%

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

$185 UYU 7,445

$177 COP 563.1K

4.55%

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

$16.97 UYU 681

$13.88 COP 44.1K

22.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.76 UYU 1,838

$29.72 COP 94.4K

53.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$12.39 UYU 498

$6.65 COP 21.1K

86.32%

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

$631 UYU 25.3K

$813 COP 2.6M

-22.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K UYU 424.5K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

15.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.9 UYU 3,932

$89.5 COP 284.3K

9.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 UYU 2,249

$59.0 COP 187.3K

-5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 UYU 4,872

$138 COP 439.0K

-12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,318

$102 COP 324.4K

29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

10.94

-49.82%

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

Last update for Libertad: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $61.0 in Libertad vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $305 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

Libertad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Libertad and Medellin differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,059 vs $1,681 including rent). Libertad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,589 in Libertad and $2,521 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.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,059 per month in Libertad versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,059 in Libertad versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Libertad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Libertad 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, Libertad 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 Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.