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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $753 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,361 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,968 in La Marsa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, La Marsa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.31 TND 9.56

78.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.85 TND 63.2

49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.17 TND 12.04

72.66%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.71 TND 2.06

139.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.64 TND 1.85

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.23 TND 0.66

213.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.49 TND 4.31

12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.51 TND 7.26

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.50 TND 1.45

112.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.18 TND 0.53

594.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.50 TND 4.34

-7.33%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.63 TND 4.70

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.19 TND 32.35

-61.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.83 TND 16.85

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.33 TND 38.52

-33.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.88 TND 5.43

19.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.95 TND 8.52

-63.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.06 TND 3.05

44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.69 TND 1.98

98.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.65 TND 1.87

73.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.47 TND 1.36

138.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.36 TND 1.05

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.25 TND 0.72

264.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.44 TND 9.95

-32.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.74 TND 19.47

65.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.14 TND 3.31

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.06 TND 3.06

123.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.36 TND 1.03

119.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$6.69 TND 19.33

514.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.31 TND 0.91

364.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 TND 0.64

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.02 TND 11.62

99.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.89 TND 2.56

5.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.4K TND 99.3K

-47.84%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.2K TND 78.5K

-1.38%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.35 TND 99.3

144.43%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.48 TND 27.39

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.92 TND 43.11

61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$45.19 TND 131

-42.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$7.53 TND 21.75

152.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.52 TND 13.08

-13.27%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$86.2 TND 249

255.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$2,347 TND 6,782

152.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.18 TND 131

28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.52 TND 129

-28.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.3 TND 261

10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$66.1 TND 191

62.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$354 TND 1,023

37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$282 TND 816

30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$775 TND 2,239

6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$808 TND 2,335

-11.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,891 TND 5,465

54.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,061 TND 3,066

32.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$339 TND 981

60.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.6

-1.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $354 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 61% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $185 – 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 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,129 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $753 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 515% 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 $753, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.