Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and La Libertad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and La Libertad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $900 in La Libertad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,329 in La Libertad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,757 in La Libertad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 12% more expensive than La Libertad, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, La Libertad 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.57 $3.57

67.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.58 $24.58

33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.17 $7.17

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.48 $2.48

-31.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.84 $0.84

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.68 $0.68

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.05 $2.05

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.60 $3.60

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.11 $1.11

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.69 $1.69

-25.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.53 $1.53

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.16 $2.16

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.14 $6.14

-28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.38 $5.38

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.21 $6.21

43.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.10 $2.10

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.09 $1.09

-2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.08 $1.08

38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.09 $1.09

26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.43 $1.43

-19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.02 $1.02

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.73 $0.73

21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.06 $1.06

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.64 $5.64

-59.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.54 $8.54

24.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.55 $1.55

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.86 $2.86

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.33 $0.33

160.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$23.81 $23.81

73.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.26 $1.26

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.02 $1.02

92.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.02 $10.02

-22.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.65 $0.65

46.15%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$19.9K $19.9K

-8.69%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.1K $28.1K

-5.86%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$37.88 $37.88

117.13%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.46 $13.46

-29.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$31.32 $31.32

-22.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.56 $29.56

-12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$14.67 $14.67

29.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.36 $7.36

-46.60%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$259 $259

19.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,713 $5,713

4.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$54.9 $54.9

6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$42.48 $42.48

-23.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$98.4 $98.4

4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$66.7 $66.7

62.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$446 $446

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$349 $349

8.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$687 $687

21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$524 $524

38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,289 $1,289

116.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$886 $886

36.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$455 $455

12.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.6

26.70%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for La Libertad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $446 in La Libertad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in La Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $186 per month, with La Libertad cheaper across the board.

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 La Libertad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Libertad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $446 in La Libertad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $259 in La Libertad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $900 in La Libertad versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Libertad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes La Libertad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, La Libertad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find La Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.