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: $3,175 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,908 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,641 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 85% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Beach, CA 131% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$8.03 COP 25.1K

150.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$48.26 COP 150.8K

68.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$9.77 COP 30.5K

51.07%

Cappuccino

$6.30 $6.30

$2.91 COP 9,095

116.49%

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

$3.43 $3.43

$1.94 COP 6,074

76.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.52 COP 4,754

63.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 $7.41

$3.09 COP 9,663

139.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 $9.67

$5.74 COP 17.9K

68.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.36 COP 4,262

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.39 COP 7,460

69.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.70 COP 5,314

176.47%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$2.87 COP 8,967

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$9.94 COP 31.1K

30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.78 COP 33.7K

36.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$14.73 COP 46.0K

3.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.09 COP 12.8K

19.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.57 COP 4,911

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$2.13 COP 6,642

153.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.21 COP 6,917

157.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.05 COP 6,396

78.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.50 COP 4,700

54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.19 COP 3,718

72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.16 COP 3,619

66.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.61 $11.61

$3.90 COP 12.2K

197.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$14.44 COP 45.1K

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.58 COP 4,948

20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.83 COP 8,836

49.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.17 COP 3,650

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 $68.1

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-12.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.28 COP 4,014

122.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.09 COP 6,537

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.3 $60.3

$8.62 COP 26.9K

599.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.30 COP 4,056

8.46%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

34.20%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-27.91%

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

$167 $167

$176 COP 550.1K

-5.29%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$13.37 COP 41.8K

413.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 $60.3

$29.89 COP 93.4K

101.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.47 $40.47

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-9.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 $14.87

$6.20 COP 19.4K

139.84%

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

$1,640 $1,640

$793 COP 2.5M

106.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.4K $37.4K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

314.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 $57.2

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-33.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.58 $39.58

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$136 COP 425.9K

-31.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$103 COP 322.2K

38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 $2,085

$1,060 COP 3.3M

96.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 $1,798

$680 COP 2.1M

164.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,619 $3,619

$2,012 COP 6.3M

79.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,481 $3,481

$1,169 COP 3.7M

197.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,117 $7,117

$4,111 COP 12.8M

73.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,810 $6,810

$1,701 COP 5.3M

300.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,374 $4,374

$665 COP 2.1M

557.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

10.94

-43.97%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,085 in Long Beach, CA and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 557% 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: $81.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 vs $303 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 85% in total monthly costs ($3,175 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 557% 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: $2,085 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,060 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 $48.00 versus $81.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,175 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $3,175 in Long Beach, CA, a $2,500 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 85% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.