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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $528 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $879 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in La Merced, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, La Merced 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.09 PEN 14.39

44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$33.89 PEN 119

-3.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.80 PEN 23.92

5.88%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 PEN 9.23

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.92 PEN 3.25

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.61 PEN 2.14

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.28 PEN 8.03

-26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.81 PEN 13.42

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.47 PEN 5.16

-27.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.97 PEN 6.95

-36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.23 PEN 4.34

13.01%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.25 PEN 7.93

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.83 PEN 24.06

-36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.66 PEN 19.94

3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.51 PEN 29.95

3.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.88 PEN 3.10

154.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.41 PEN 1.44

163.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.27 PEN 0.94

466.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.70 PEN 2.47

95.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.27 PEN 0.95

318.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.40 PEN 1.41

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.59 PEN 2.06

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.92 PEN 3.25

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.41 PEN 19.05

-56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.27 PEN 25.58

53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.74 PEN 6.14

-31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.10 PEN 10.91

-23.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.39 PEN 11.93

-57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.16 PEN 7.60

-11.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.56 PEN 30.13

-6.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.37 PEN 4.81

-31.39%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K PEN 69.2K

-8.88%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.1K PEN 84.8K

11.22%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$56.5 PEN 199

48.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.55 PEN 44.18

-23.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.20 PEN 85.2

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.85 PEN 24.10

-42.77%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$219 PEN 772

39.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,883 PEN 27.7K

-24.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.9 PEN 179

13.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.18 PEN 127

-12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.9 PEN 320

9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$90.7 PEN 319

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.11

32.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Merced: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in La Merced. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $179 in La Merced – so La Merced wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 96% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $793 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $528 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $219 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,034. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $528 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with La Merced. 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.