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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $892 per month in Lucea vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,422 per month in Lucea vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,951 per month in Lucea vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Lucea is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lucea and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Lucea 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 JMD 1,214

$5.95 COP 21.2K

29.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 JMD 9,970

$33.33 COP 118.9K

90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 JMD 1,345

$7.23 COP 25.8K

18.26%

Cappuccino

$4.26 JMD 670

$1.63 COP 5,811

161.35%

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

$1.38 JMD 217

$1.09 COP 3,904

26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.73 COP 2,604

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 402

$1.74 COP 6,197

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 JMD 480

$3.23 COP 11.5K

-5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 JMD 692

$1.05 COP 3,742

319.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 JMD 564

$1.29 COP 4,614

177.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 245

$1.32 COP 4,718

18.18%

Eggs

$3.59 JMD 565

$2.27 COP 8,101

58.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 JMD 1,711

$4.35 COP 15.5K

150.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 JMD 1,002

$5.88 COP 21.0K

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 JMD 1,218

$8.61 COP 30.7K

-9.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 JMD 928

$2.25 COP 8,015

162.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.07 COP 3,814

189.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 JMD 673

$1.52 COP 5,438

181.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 482

$1.42 COP 5,073

115.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$1.17 COP 4,173

79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 303

$1.17 COP 4,166

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 JMD 482

$0.89 COP 3,163

243.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$0.90 COP 3,215

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 JMD 1,398

$2.25 COP 8,008

295.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,778

$11.04 COP 39.4K

2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 JMD 450

$1.14 COP 4,063

150.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$2.38 COP 8,483

32.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 177

$1.41 COP 5,019

-19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$1.90 COP 6,779

67.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 964

$7.75 COP 27.6K

-20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.01 COP 3,586

21.78%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$17.6K COP 62.7M

142.89%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$26.5K COP 94.5M

29.11%

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

$165 JMD 26.0K

$83.7 COP 298.4K

97.30%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,485

$9.45 COP 33.7K

134.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 JMD 7,959

$24.11 COP 86.0K

109.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,089

$4.10 COP 14.6K

223.90%

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

$222 JMD 34.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-28.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-59.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.37 JMD 4,148

$58.0 COP 207.0K

-54.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.81 JMD 4,059

$32.56 COP 116.1K

-20.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-27.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

$109 COP 387.1K

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.43

-31.87%

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

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lucea versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 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

Lucea vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 14% 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 $1,338 per month in Lucea and $1,525 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 $63.0 in Lucea and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 85% 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 $892, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $892 versus $1,017 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.