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: $3,395 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,837 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,279 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 235% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 153% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.80 $17.80

$5.99 COP 21.5K

197.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$32.86 COP 118.1K

139.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$7.09 COP 25.5K

111.14%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$1.71 COP 6,154

201.17%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$1.10 COP 3,949

173.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.78 COP 2,798

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 $7.23

$1.68 COP 6,035

330.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$3.07 COP 11.0K

164.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.09 COP 3,930

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.26 COP 4,536

241.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.38 COP 4,953

213.04%

Eggs

$3.73 $3.73

$2.19 COP 7,876

70.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$4.40 COP 15.8K

175.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.93 $12.93

$5.63 COP 20.2K

129.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$8.89 COP 32.0K

74.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.34 COP 8,401

88.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.06 COP 3,801

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.50 COP 5,408

159.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$1.38 COP 4,955

246.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.15 COP 4,137

158.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.16 COP 4,181

112.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.89 COP 3,202

129.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.84 COP 3,016

148.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 $11.10

$2.28 COP 8,196

386.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$10.64 COP 38.2K

43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.20 COP 4,311

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.47 COP 8,880

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.86 COP 3,075

97.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$41.40 COP 148.8K

68.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.47 COP 5,297

98.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.96 COP 7,053

123.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.24 $28.24

$7.74 COP 27.8K

264.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.95 COP 3,430

31.58%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

42.83%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

3.63%

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

$156 $156

$82.3 COP 295.6K

89.17%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$9.50 COP 34.1K

473.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 $58.4

$24.23 COP 87.1K

141.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.28 $39.28

$25.89 COP 93.0K

51.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$3.93 COP 14.1K

286.51%

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

$1,519 $1,519

$309 COP 1.1M

390.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.9K $28.9K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

384.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.02 $48.02

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.33 $33.33

$32.35 COP 116.2K

3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$103 COP 368.7K

-4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$108 COP 389.6K

-7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$476 COP 1.7M

404.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 $2,087

$379 COP 1.4M

450.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,696 $3,696

$838 COP 3.0M

340.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,408 $3,408

$724 COP 2.6M

370.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,093 $7,093

$2,791 COP 10.0M

154.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,935 $6,935

$1,211 COP 4.4M

472.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,422 $4,422

$512 COP 1.8M

764.10%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,400 in Long Beach, CA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 764% 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: $79.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $188 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 235% in total monthly costs ($3,395 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Long Beach, CA pays 764% more on average, 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: $2,400 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 $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,395 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 235% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,395 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 235% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.