Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,429 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,872 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,315 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 237% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 157% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 $18.36

$5.93 COP 19.0K

209.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$33.12 COP 106.0K

142.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.16 $15.16

$7.12 COP 22.8K

112.92%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$1.71 COP 5,457

200.00%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.05 COP 3,356

187.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.72 COP 2,311

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.39 $7.39

$1.72 COP 5,502

329.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.17 COP 10.2K

153.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.06 COP 3,408

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.31 COP 4,192

222.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.33 COP 4,256

230.83%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.28 COP 7,298

71.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$4.42 COP 14.1K

171.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$5.92 COP 18.9K

112.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.64 COP 27.7K

76.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.34 COP 7,504

96.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.10 COP 3,527

56.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.47 COP 4,698

174.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.38 COP 4,415

253.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 COP 3,754

160.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.17 COP 3,744

112.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.90 COP 2,890

123.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.84 COP 2,693

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 $10.96

$2.33 COP 7,449

370.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$11.92 COP 38.1K

27.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.15 COP 3,673

52.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.42 COP 7,749

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.84 COP 2,687

103.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 $70.2

$40.83 COP 130.7K

71.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.41 COP 4,517

110.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.91 COP 6,127

128.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.37 $28.37

$7.83 COP 25.0K

262.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.94 COP 3,020

38.30%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

40.73%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

-1.08%

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

$161 $161

$83.3 COP 266.4K

92.88%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$9.66 COP 30.9K

468.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$24.22 COP 77.5K

146.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 $38.81

$25.22 COP 80.7K

53.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 $15.00

$4.07 COP 13.0K

268.55%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$307 COP 981.2K

385.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

373.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 $48.13

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 $34.25

$32.65 COP 104.5K

4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$101 COP 323.5K

-1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$108 COP 345.7K

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,367 $2,367

$476 COP 1.5M

397.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 $2,057

$379 COP 1.2M

443.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,593 $3,593

$816 COP 2.6M

340.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,300 $3,300

$707 COP 2.3M

366.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,242 $7,242

$3,190 COP 10.2M

127.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,006 $7,006

$1,446 COP 4.6M

384.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,352 $4,352

$622 COP 2.0M

600.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

13.43

-52.42%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,367 in Long Beach, CA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 600% 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: $80.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $192 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

Long Beach, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, CA and Medellin differ by about 237% in total monthly costs ($3,429 vs $1,018 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 600% higher in Long Beach, CA, 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: $2,367 in Long Beach, CA versus $476 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 $80.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,429 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $3,429 in Long Beach, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.