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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $566 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $926 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,286 in La Merced, rent included.

Medellin costs about 197% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while La Merced is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.49 PEN 15.15

78.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$35.82 PEN 121

33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.03 PEN 23.73

40.68%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.42 PEN 11.53

-8.48%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.14 PEN 3.86

67.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.62 PEN 2.10

143.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.71 PEN 9.15

15.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$4.59 PEN 15.48

25.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.68 PEN 5.67

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$2.06 PEN 6.94

20.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.30 PEN 4.40

36.15%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.42 PEN 8.16

22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.50 PEN 25.31

34.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.96 PEN 20.12

69.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.09 PEN 30.66

57.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.00 PEN 3.38

314.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.47 PEN 1.57

242.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.31 PEN 1.05

625.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.70 PEN 2.38

221.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.31 PEN 1.06

558.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.47 PEN 1.59

227.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.62 PEN 2.09

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.95 PEN 3.20

37.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.94 PEN 20.05

-34.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.64 PEN 25.76

83.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.98 PEN 6.68

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.31 PEN 11.18

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$4.12 PEN 13.91

-68.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$2.05 PEN 6.93

6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.37 PEN 24.87

18.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.72 PEN 5.81

-20.35%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

24.67%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

38.37%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$70.0 PEN 236

153.14%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.07 PEN 57.6

-18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$28.18 PEN 95.1

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.60 PEN 25.64

-12.50%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$183 PEN 618

343.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

-31.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$54.6 PEN 184

64.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$35.22 PEN 119

67.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$84.8 PEN 286

63.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$80.7 PEN 272

26.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.94

22.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in La Merced. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $192 – making La Merced 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 Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 197% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $849 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $566 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $183 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 $566, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $566 versus $1,681 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.