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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Koura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,725 in Koura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,333 in Koura, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Koura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Koura are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Koura 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$11.02 LBP 986.4K

-45.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

-46.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.19 LBP 732.8K

-13.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.24 LBP 289.8K

-47.22%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.63 LBP 146.2K

-32.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.56 LBP 318.3K

-52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.09 LBP 455.1K

-39.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.71 LBP 152.8K

-36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.84 LBP 75.0K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

-24.18%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.12 LBP 279.1K

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.52 LBP 1.0M

-61.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.38 LBP 839.7K

-39.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.62 LBP 1.0M

-23.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.81 LBP 162.2K

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.45 LBP 129.6K

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.05 LBP 93.6K

31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.00 LBP 89.3K

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.53 LBP 47.0K

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.54 LBP 227.7K

-10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.13 LBP 906.3K

5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.23 LBP 110.5K

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.12 LBP 190.0K

16.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.05 LBP 183.4K

-58.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$5.03 LBP 450.4K

-70.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.23 LBP 110.4K

59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

-60.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

2.15%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-47.70%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.4K LBP 2.5B

-3.40%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$36.98 LBP 3.3M

-74.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.61 LBP 3.4M

-35.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$25.42 LBP 2.3M

1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.82 LBP 699.7K

-49.74%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$297 LBP 26.6M

4.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

36.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

-16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$45.31 LBP 4.1M

-28.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$120 LBP 10.8M

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$95.4 LBP 8.5M

13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$250 LBP 22.4M

90.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$203 LBP 18.2M

86.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$454 LBP 40.6M

84.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$346 LBP 30.9M

109.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,154 LBP 103.3M

141.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$833 LBP 74.6M

45.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$591 LBP 52.9M

-13.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Koura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 15% higher in Koura, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $61.0 in Koura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $234 – 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

Medellin vs Koura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koura costs about 10% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,676 in Koura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,117 in Koura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $297 in Koura. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Koura at $1,117. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,117 in Koura. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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