Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koura Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Koura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,214 in Koura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,902 in Koura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,589 in Koura, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Koura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Koura is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.80 LBP 1.1M

-32.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$64.9 LBP 5.8M

-26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.20 LBP 912.7K

-3.04%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.60 LBP 411.5K

-31.96%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.34 LBP 209.9K

-18.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.89 LBP 79.5K

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.95 LBP 443.3K

-36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.88 LBP 437.0K

17.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.86 LBP 166.1K

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

203.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.22 LBP 198.5K

-20.27%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.50 LBP 313.6K

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.27 LBP 1.2M

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.66 LBP 954.0K

-5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.93 LBP 1.2M

2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.11 LBP 278.0K

33.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.71 LBP 153.3K

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.68 LBP 150.1K

33.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.51 LBP 135.4K

49.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.41 LBP 126.4K

44.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.63 LBP 146.0K

-5.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.21 LBP 108.7K

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.73 LBP 65.1K

79.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

29.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.16 LBP 909.2K

37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.48 LBP 222.0K

15.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.98 LBP 177.2K

-38.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$4.88 LBP 436.4K

-73.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.23 LBP 199.7K

-1.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$22.84 LBP 2.0M

-61.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

52.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

-48.71%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.0K LBP 3.0B

8.50%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$228 LBP 20.4M

-22.40%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$23.27 LBP 2.1M

-40.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.50 LBP 3.4M

-20.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$25.23 LBP 2.3M

77.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

71.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.84 LBP 881.0K

-32.42%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$676 LBP 60.5M

20.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.9K LBP 973.1M

-15.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

31.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$48.54 LBP 4.3M

21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$137 LBP 12.3M

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$120 LBP 10.8M

-14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$250 LBP 22.4M

324.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$204 LBP 18.2M

225.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$454 LBP 40.6M

316.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$346 LBP 30.9M

197.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,140 LBP 102.1M

266.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$848 LBP 75.9M

97.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$600 LBP 53.7M

12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Koura: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $250 in Koura. 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 13% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Koura. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $277 in Koura – so Koura wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Koura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 38% more than Koura, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,821 in Koura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Koura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,214 in Koura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $676 in Koura. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Koura, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Koura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koura costs $1,214 versus $1,681 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 Koura. 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.