Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and L'Etang-Sale Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and L'Etang-Sale

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for L'Etang-Sale: September 15, 2026

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 L'Etang-Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward L'Etang-Sale – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with L'Etang-Sale. 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.