Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubbock, TX and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubbock, TX and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,406 in Lubbock, TX versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,272 in Lubbock, TX versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,137 in Lubbock, TX versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Lubbock, TX is roughly 140% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lubbock, TX is 81% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$5.91 COP 18.6K

158.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$32.96 COP 103.9K

80.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 $10.91

$7.43 COP 23.4K

46.84%

Cappuccino

$7.37 $7.37

$1.65 COP 5,211

346.67%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$1.10 COP 3,471

143.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.78 COP 2,460

110.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$1.72 COP 5,416

247.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.18 COP 10.0K

121.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.10 COP 3,477

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.26 COP 3,965

192.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$1.38 COP 4,353

202.17%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$2.18 COP 6,864

94.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 $19.92

$4.49 COP 14.2K

343.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.88 $11.88

$5.79 COP 18.3K

105.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 $19.13

$8.97 COP 28.3K

113.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.32 COP 7,314

108.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.06 COP 3,355

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.52 COP 4,778

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.36 COP 4,273

216.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.13 COP 3,555

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.17 COP 3,692

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.90 COP 2,840

132.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.90 COP 2,826

218.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.53 $8.53

$2.23 COP 7,039

282.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.18 $17.18

$12.12 COP 38.2K

41.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.19 COP 3,746

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.48 COP 7,822

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.85 COP 2,690

127.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 $56.8

$41.62 COP 131.1K

36.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.42 COP 4,462

108.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.95 COP 6,146

135.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.54 $29.54

$7.89 COP 24.8K

274.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.99 COP 3,121

-21.21%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

47.09%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

4.81%

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

$187 $187

$83.0 COP 261.6K

125.29%

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

$85.4 $85.4

$9.70 COP 30.6K

780.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$23.52 COP 74.1K

202.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 $25.07

$25.26 COP 79.6K

-0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 $13.33

$3.95 COP 12.4K

237.47%

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

$653 $653

$316 COP 995.1K

106.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

297.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 $77.2

$60.0 COP 189.1K

28.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 $75.2

$31.82 COP 100.3K

136.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 $68.4

$102 COP 320.4K

-32.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$107 COP 338.6K

-5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 $1,086

$475 COP 1.5M

128.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$374 COP 1.2M

171.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 $1,719

$849 COP 2.7M

102.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 $1,216

$719 COP 2.3M

69.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,457 $1,457

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-55.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,470 $1,470

$1,441 COP 4.5M

2.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,438 $3,438

$624 COP 2.0M

450.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Lubbock, TX: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Lubbock, TX and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lubbock, TX pays 450% 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: $59.0 in Lubbock, TX vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $424 vs $193 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

Lubbock, TX vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lubbock, TX and Medellin differ by about 140% in total monthly costs ($2,406 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 450% higher in Lubbock, TX, 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: $1,086 in Lubbock, TX versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 37% less than in Lubbock, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $653 in Lubbock, TX versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,406 in Lubbock, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lubbock, TX. 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 140% less than in Lubbock, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.