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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $792 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,318 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,843 in La Marsa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 112% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while La Marsa is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.33 TND 9.65

140.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$20.55 TND 59.6

132.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.42 TND 15.71

82.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.28 TND 3.72

144.53%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.58 TND 1.68

229.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.26 TND 0.75

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.51 TND 4.37

106.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.11 TND 6.11

172.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.52 TND 1.50

176.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.32 TND 0.94

678.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.34 TND 6.78

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.90 TND 5.50

55.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.13 TND 29.39

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.85 TND 19.88

47.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.35 TND 38.71

7.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.04 TND 5.91

102.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.71 TND 10.75

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.49 TND 4.32

51.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.64 TND 1.87

251.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.56 TND 1.62

264.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.63 TND 1.83

144.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.42 TND 1.22

178.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.31 TND 0.91

322.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.85 TND 11.15

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.92 TND 20.09

102.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.29 TND 3.74

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.66 TND 4.81

72.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.33 TND 0.95

269.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.30 TND 21.17

1002.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.32 TND 0.94

309.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.43 TND 1.25

409.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$4.03 TND 11.70

116.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.88 TND 2.56

55.68%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$38.5K TND 111.7K

-27.73%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$32.2K TND 93.3K

11.19%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$35.46 TND 103

400.00%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$12.86 TND 37.30

7.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.48 TND 53.6

60.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$42.76 TND 124

4.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.25 TND 21.02

136.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.55 TND 16.11

19.82%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$60.7 TND 176

1239.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,657 TND 7,708

245.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$65.2 TND 189

37.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$72.8 TND 211

-19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$91.7 TND 266

50.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$94.0 TND 273

8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$290 TND 842

265.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$240 TND 697

175.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$710 TND 2,060

165.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$579 TND 1,680

77.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,864 TND 5,406

124.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,034 TND 3,000

61.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$340 TND 987

99.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-21.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $290 in La Marsa. 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 99% 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 $21.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $204 – making La Marsa 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 La Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,188 in La Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Marsa, 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 $792 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1002% less in La Marsa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Marsa, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Medellin at $1,681. In La Marsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Marsa – 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 La Marsa. 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.