Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,179 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Los Ángeles costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Los Ángeles and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Los Ángeles 19% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 CLP 7,556

$5.95 COP 20.8K

41.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.30 CLP 40.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

35.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 CLP 6,990

$7.23 COP 25.2K

7.61%

Cappuccino

$2.81 CLP 2,527

$1.63 COP 5,687

72.39%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,217

$1.09 COP 3,821

23.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 951

$0.73 COP 2,548

45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,919

$1.74 COP 6,065

86.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,770

$3.23 COP 11.3K

29.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 CLP 1,119

$1.05 COP 3,662

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,404

$1.29 COP 4,515

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,757

$1.32 COP 4,617

48.48%

Eggs

$3.60 CLP 3,236

$2.27 COP 7,927

58.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,255

$4.35 COP 15.2K

136.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 5,975

$5.88 COP 20.5K

13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 CLP 9,995

$8.61 COP 30.0K

29.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,699

$2.25 COP 7,844

-16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,352

$1.07 COP 3,733

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,376

$1.52 COP 5,322

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,316

$1.42 COP 4,964

2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,111

$1.17 COP 4,084

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,252

$1.17 COP 4,077

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,083

$0.89 COP 3,096

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,065

$0.90 COP 3,146

32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 CLP 4,722

$2.25 COP 7,837

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,393

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,430

$1.14 COP 3,977

39.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CLP 2,057

$2.38 COP 8,301

-3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 562

$0.84 COP 2,916

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 422

$1.41 COP 4,912

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,238

$1.01 COP 3,509

36.63%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

9.19%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.2M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-19.48%

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

$134 CLP 120.2K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

59.79%

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

$13.52 CLP 12.2K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

43.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.06 CLP 19.8K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 CLP 34.0K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

49.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.68 CLP 19.5K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

13.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,003

$4.10 COP 14.3K

35.85%

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

$444 CLP 399.1K

$312 COP 1.1M

42.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.92 CLP 44.9K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 CLP 27.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-5.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 CLP 55.7K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-37.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 CLP 72.9K

$109 COP 378.8K

-25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 429.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 331.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 CLP 808.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

7.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 CLP 533.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-17.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Los Ángeles versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Los Ángeles vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Ángeles costs about 7% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,630 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Los Ángeles, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Los Ángeles at $1,087. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Ángeles it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $1,087 in Los Ángeles. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Los Ángeles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.