Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,104 in Ljubljana, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ljubljana, Slovenia
Medellin, Colombia
Ljubljana
🇸🇮 Slovenia
$2,104
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ljubljana and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ljubljana and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,104 in Ljubljana versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Ljubljana $2,104
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,149 in Ljubljana versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Ljubljana $3,149
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,194 in Ljubljana versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Ljubljana $4,194
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 28% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ljubljana 55% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.86 €14.21
$8.09 COP 26.1K
96.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.3 €59.4
$47.05 COP 151.7K
40.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.33 €10.15
$9.50 COP 30.6K
19.26%
Cappuccino
$2.85 €2.55
$3.01 COP 9,722
-5.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.75
$1.80 COP 5,801
70.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.41 COP 4,554
34.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.83 €3.43
$3.18 COP 10.2K
20.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 €3.92
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-24.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.19
$1.51 COP 4,869
-12.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.38 COP 7,667
-7.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.09 €2.76
$1.77 COP 5,712
74.58%
Eggs
$3.92 €3.51
$2.89 COP 9,320
35.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.57 €13.05
$10.19 COP 32.9K
42.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.67 €8.66
$9.87 COP 31.8K
-2.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.54 €13.02
$13.99 COP 45.1K
3.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 €2.01
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-43.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.55 COP 5,005
11.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.18 COP 7,039
5.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.45 €3.09
$2.18 COP 7,041
58.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.96 COP 6,328
-23.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.56 €1.40
$1.59 COP 5,125
-1.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.15 COP 3,694
49.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$1.24 COP 4,009
-31.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.11 €5.47
$3.96 COP 12.8K
54.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.66 €6.86
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-44.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.66 COP 5,352
-16.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.26 COP 7,281
-3.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.17 COP 3,766
44.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.77 €37.40
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-46.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 €1.99
$1.27 COP 4,089
74.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 €1.12
$2.05 COP 6,603
-39.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.81 €16.84
$8.55 COP 27.6K
120.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$1.35 COP 4,343
33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K €26.3K
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-13.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K €22.1K
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-28.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 €259
$170 COP 547.0K
70.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.95 €14.28
$13.55 COP 43.7K
17.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.66 €34.62
$28.07 COP 90.5K
37.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.3 €45.94
$43.70 COP 140.9K
17.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.20 €21.67
$17.19 COP 55.4K
40.78%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €9.18
$6.91 COP 22.3K
48.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$643 €576
$797 COP 2.6M
-19.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.7K €12.3K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
50.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$84.7 COP 273.2K
32.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.11 €38.61
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-25.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.3
$135 COP 435.2K
-18.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$97.9 COP 315.6K
46.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 €1,029
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-4.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$907 €812
$642 COP 2.1M
41.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,366 €2,119
$2,028 COP 6.5M
16.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,623 €1,453
$1,012 COP 3.3M
60.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,815 €6,104
$4,170 COP 13.4M
63.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,052 €4,524
$1,910 COP 6.2M
164.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ljubljana
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,940 €1,737
$657 COP 2.1M
195.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
10.94
-67.82%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ljubljana
$907
Medellin
$642 29.3% $265
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ljubljana
$343
Medellin
$211 38.5% $132
Groceries & Markets
Ljubljana
$298
Medellin
$297 0.5% $1.4
Eating Out
Ljubljana
$243
Medellin
$170 30.2% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Ljubljana
$184
Medellin
$169 8.1% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Ljubljana
$72
Medellin
$58 19.9% $14
Getting Around
Ljubljana
$57
Medellin
$94 64.1% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,149 in Ljubljana and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays about 3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $66 in Ljubljana vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇮 Ljubljana
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:18 11:18 PM
17:18 5:18 PM
6 h behind Ljubljana
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
285,604 Capital
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ljubljana Medellin 9,510 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ljubljana
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ljubljana vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ljubljana?
Medellin is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ljubljana or Medellin?
Average pay in Ljubljana is about 3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Ljubljana and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,149 in Ljubljana versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $643 in Ljubljana versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ljubljana or in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $66 in Ljubljana. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 enough for either Ljubljana or Medellin?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city suits remote workers better?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value at $1,639 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Ljubljana on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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