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 $1,099 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Los Ángeles costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Los Ángeles and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Los Ángeles 17% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 CLP 8,187

$5.91 COP 18.6K

48.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.26 CLP 41.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

34.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 CLP 7,269

$7.43 COP 23.4K

5.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,561

$1.65 COP 5,207

66.67%

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

$1.31 CLP 1,219

$1.10 COP 3,468

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 989

$0.78 COP 2,458

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 CLP 2,931

$1.72 COP 5,412

83.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CLP 3,847

$3.18 COP 10.0K

29.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,107

$1.10 COP 3,474

8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,421

$1.26 COP 3,962

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,755

$1.38 COP 4,349

36.96%

Eggs

$3.57 CLP 3,325

$2.18 COP 6,858

63.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 CLP 9,880

$4.49 COP 14.1K

136.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 CLP 6,374

$5.79 COP 18.2K

18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,773

$2.32 COP 7,308

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,398

$1.06 COP 3,352

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.52 COP 4,774

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,404

$1.36 COP 4,270

11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,153

$1.13 COP 3,552

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,322

$1.17 COP 3,689

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 CLP 1,120

$0.90 COP 2,838

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$0.90 COP 2,823

35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 CLP 5,026

$2.23 COP 7,034

142.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 CLP 5,476

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,484

$1.19 COP 3,743

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CLP 2,149

$2.48 COP 7,815

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 540

$0.85 COP 2,687

-31.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 444

$1.42 COP 4,459

-66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,337

$0.99 COP 3,118

45.45%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

8.93%

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

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-21.55%

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

$134 CLP 124.4K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

61.10%

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

$13.70 CLP 12.7K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

41.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 CLP 20.8K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 CLP 35.7K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

52.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

10.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,181

$3.95 COP 12.4K

41.01%

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

$439 CLP 408.8K

$316 COP 994.2K

39.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CLP 48.0K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-14.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 CLP 27.8K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-6.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-38.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

$107 COP 338.3K

-23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 441.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

-1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 CLP 833.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 CLP 547.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-18.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Los Ángeles versus $475 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 $44.00 in Los Ángeles versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $193 – 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 10% 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 $1,648 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,504 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 $44.00 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 19% 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 $1,003, than in Los Ángeles at $1,099. 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 $1,003 versus $1,099 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.