😐A single person spends $1,889 per month in Lourdes vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,942 per month in Lourdes vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Lourdes vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Lourdes costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Lourdes and Medellin sit above the global median – Lourdes by 37%, Medellin by 19%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.68€15.24
$8.04COP 24.8K
119.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6€60.0
$48.29COP 148.6K
44.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.88€11.97
$9.42COP 29.0K
47.35%
Cappuccino
$3.80€3.28
$2.94COP 9,040
29.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14€2.71
$1.86COP 5,735
68.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99€1.72
$1.46COP 4,479
36.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.47€6.44
$3.21COP 9,882
132.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.84€5.03
$5.71COP 17.6K
2.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32€1.14
$1.44COP 4,428
-8.33%
White Bread(500g)
$1.94€1.67
$2.40COP 7,389
-19.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.64€2.28
$1.70COP 5,228
55.29%
Eggs
$4.36€3.76
$2.89COP 8,896
50.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.75€17.03
$10.06COP 30.9K
96.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.51€11.64
$9.97COP 30.7K
35.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.30€19.22
$14.20COP 43.7K
57.04%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26€2.81
$3.98COP 12.3K
-18.09%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35€2.02
$1.58COP 4,878
48.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.95€2.54
$2.15COP 6,624
37.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.58€3.09
$2.30COP 7,078
55.65%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98€1.71
$2.00COP 6,169
-1.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.40€2.07
$1.51COP 4,646
58.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.44€1.24
$1.20COP 3,701
20.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73€0.63
$1.28COP 3,946
-42.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.06€12.12
$3.84COP 11.8K
266.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.48€7.31
$14.01COP 43.1K
-39.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73€2.35
$1.71COP 5,256
59.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43€2.96
$2.74COP 8,440
25.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.47
$1.25COP 3,834
36.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$50.6€43.64
$77.9COP 239.7K
-35.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.61€3.97
$1.31COP 4,016
251.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.20€1.89
$2.17COP 6,680
1.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.06€28.50
$8.29COP 25.5K
298.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.85
$1.36COP 4,172
57.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K€30.4K
$27.5KCOP 84.5M
28.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K€31.6K
$36.5KCOP 112.4M
0.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$211€182
$169COP 519.2K
25.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.60€14.31
$13.57COP 41.8K
22.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.81€28.28
$28.32COP 87.2K
15.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.58€32.39
$45.71COP 140.7K
-17.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.22COP 53.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.73€11.83
$6.65COP 20.5K
106.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$831€717
$803COP 2.5M
3.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,098
$9,190COP 28.3M
14.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.3€83.9
$87.4COP 268.8K
11.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.89€38.70
$59.4COP 182.7K
-24.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106€91.2
$139COP 427.5K
-23.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141€122
$102COP 314.0K
38.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$781€673
$1,071COP 3.3M
-27.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$640€551
$653COP 2.0M
-2.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,453€1,252
$1,925COP 5.9M
-24.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,125€969
$1,048COP 3.2M
7.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,103€3,537
$4,123COP 12.7M
-0.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,197€2,756
$1,697COP 5.2M
88.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lourdes
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,203€1,899
$655COP 2.0M
236.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.79
10.94
-65.36%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lourdes: September 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Lourdes versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 236% higher in Lourdes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lourdes versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $300 – 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
Lourdes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lourdes and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,889 in Lourdes, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 15% apart. Lourdes costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Lourdes compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,833 per month in Lourdes and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lourdes and Medellin?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lourdes and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lourdes or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,889 in Lourdes and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Lourdes at $1,889. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lourdes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lourdes and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Medellin to $1,889 in Lourdes. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lourdes or Medellin safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Lourdes and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lourdes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.