Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucea and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucea and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in Lucea vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,684 per month in Lucea vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,349 per month in Lucea vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Lucea is about 38% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lucea sits 26% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 JMD 2,525

$8.04 COP 24.8K

99.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

57.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,385

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-6.37%

Cappuccino

$5.44 JMD 854

$2.94 COP 9,040

85.03%

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

$1.19 JMD 186

$1.86 COP 5,735

-36.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 JMD 109

$1.46 COP 4,479

-52.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 JMD 343

$3.21 COP 9,882

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 JMD 500

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-44.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 660

$1.44 COP 4,428

191.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 JMD 576

$2.40 COP 7,389

52.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 258

$1.70 COP 5,228

-2.94%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$2.89 COP 8,896

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 JMD 1,819

$10.06 COP 30.9K

15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 JMD 976

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-37.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 JMD 1,604

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-28.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 934

$3.98 COP 12.3K

49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$3.89 JMD 611

$1.58 COP 4,878

146.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.34 JMD 1,153

$2.15 COP 6,624

241.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 477

$2.30 COP 7,078

32.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 JMD 527

$2.00 COP 6,169

68.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 JMD 411

$1.51 COP 4,646

73.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$1.20 COP 3,701

149.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 JMD 231

$1.28 COP 3,946

14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.43 JMD 1,481

$3.84 COP 11.8K

145.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 JMD 1,774

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 JMD 463

$1.71 COP 5,256

72.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 JMD 625

$2.74 COP 8,440

45.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.31 COP 4,016

-6.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 487

$2.17 COP 6,680

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 JMD 999

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-23.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 213

$1.36 COP 4,172

-0.74%

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

$43.8K JMD 6.9M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

59.60%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-8.74%

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

$173 JMD 27.2K

$169 COP 519.2K

2.68%

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

$29.94 JMD 4,703

$13.57 COP 41.8K

120.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 JMD 8,222

$28.32 COP 87.2K

84.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.33 JMD 2,093

$6.65 COP 20.5K

100.45%

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

$359 JMD 56.4K

$803 COP 2.5M

-55.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,217 JMD 1.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-10.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.79 JMD 3,738

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-72.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.08 JMD 4,883

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-47.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 JMD 12.5K

$139 COP 427.5K

-42.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 JMD 16.4K

$102 COP 314.0K

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

10.94

-13.62%

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

Last update for Lucea: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lucea versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 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

Lucea vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 61% more than Lucea, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,530 per month in Lucea and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lucea and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucea, where all-in costs run around $1,020, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Lucea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lucea costs $1,020 versus $1,641 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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