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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $758 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,346 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,935 in La Marsa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, La Marsa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.35 TND 9.77

77.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.69 TND 63.3

53.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.09 TND 11.94

76.77%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.71 TND 2.07

129.58%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.65 TND 1.89

67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.25 TND 0.73

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.49 TND 4.36

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.50 TND 7.30

29.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.51 TND 1.48

105.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.18 TND 0.54

616.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.51 TND 4.39

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.59 TND 4.63

42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.07 TND 32.31

-60.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.62 TND 16.40

4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.31 TND 38.84

-35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.88 TND 5.49

19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$3.02 TND 8.81

-64.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.05 TND 3.05

44.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.67 TND 1.97

111.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.64 TND 1.88

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.50 TND 1.47

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.37 TND 1.07

140.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.25 TND 0.73

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.42 TND 9.96

-34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.00 TND 20.43

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.10 TND 3.21

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.05 TND 3.06

126.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.33 TND 0.96

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$6.75 TND 19.70

521.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.29 TND 0.84

386.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.22 TND 0.64

763.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.14 TND 12.09

87.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.88 TND 2.56

14.77%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.8K TND 101.5K

-49.49%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.9K TND 78.4K

-1.46%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$34.87 TND 102

139.98%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.87 TND 28.80

-4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.60 TND 42.61

65.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$45.21 TND 132

-44.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.44 TND 21.69

157.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.47 TND 13.03

-8.28%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$85.8 TND 250

263.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,413 TND 7,039

148.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$44.40 TND 130

30.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$44.25 TND 129

-26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$90.0 TND 263

10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$64.2 TND 187

69.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$352 TND 1,027

36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$279 TND 815

35.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$776 TND 2,263

7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$829 TND 2,420

-12.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,842 TND 5,374

54.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,070 TND 3,120

14.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$348 TND 1,014

55.61%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $352 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 56% 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 34%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,136 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $758 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 521% 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 $758, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.