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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $525 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $867 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,209 in La Merced, rent included.

Medellin costs about 94% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, La Merced 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.14 PEN 14.06

43.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.61 PEN 114

-0.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.10 PEN 24.13

1.83%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.65 PEN 9.00

-38.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.99 PEN 3.36

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.65 PEN 2.22

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.25 PEN 7.66

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.91 PEN 13.31

-17.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.47 PEN 5.01

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.96 PEN 6.65

-34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.27 PEN 4.33

3.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.28 PEN 7.74

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.73 PEN 22.89

-35.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.53 PEN 18.79

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.41 PEN 28.60

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.94 PEN 3.19

139.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.41 PEN 1.39

160.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.29 PEN 0.99

424.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.67 PEN 2.27

111.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.29 PEN 0.99

303.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.43 PEN 1.47

172.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.58 PEN 1.96

53.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.93 PEN 3.18

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.53 PEN 18.79

-59.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.03 PEN 23.91

57.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.78 PEN 6.04

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.99 PEN 10.17

-20.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.30 PEN 11.22

-57.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.20 PEN 7.47

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.45 PEN 28.73

-8.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.34 PEN 4.57

-24.63%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.2K PEN 65.3K

-8.44%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.7K PEN 84.1K

7.12%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$56.7 PEN 193

47.66%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$12.69 PEN 43.15

-25.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$24.14 PEN 82.1

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.87 PEN 23.34

-40.32%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$215 PEN 731

45.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,905 PEN 26.9K

-24.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.51 PEN 168

17.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.14 PEN 123

-9.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.3 PEN 304

11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$91.1 PEN 310

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for La Merced: June 8, 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 $177 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 94% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $787 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $525 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $215 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 $525, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $525 versus $1,017 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.