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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $531 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $868 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,205 in La Merced, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and La Merced are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, La Merced 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.07 PEN 13.83

45.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$33.86 PEN 115

-2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.08 PEN 24.05

4.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.65 PEN 8.98

-37.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.93 PEN 3.14

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.65 PEN 2.20

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.29 PEN 7.76

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.98 PEN 13.51

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.49 PEN 5.06

-26.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.90 PEN 6.46

-33.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.22 PEN 4.15

13.11%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.26 PEN 7.68

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.11 PEN 24.13

-36.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.64 PEN 19.14

2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.54 PEN 28.98

5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.96 PEN 3.27

141.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.43 PEN 1.48

146.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.27 PEN 0.91

462.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.71 PEN 2.42

91.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.29 PEN 0.99

289.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.44 PEN 1.50

165.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.53 PEN 1.81

69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.93 PEN 3.17

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.69 PEN 19.32

-60.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.22 PEN 24.50

67.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.75 PEN 5.93

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.97 PEN 10.09

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.35 PEN 11.37

-57.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.12 PEN 7.20

-8.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.19 PEN 27.79

-3.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.34 PEN 4.56

-26.12%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.3K PEN 65.4K

-8.68%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.7K PEN 84.0K

8.37%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$55.4 PEN 188

49.73%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.60 PEN 42.76

-23.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$23.56 PEN 80.0

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.73 PEN 22.86

-41.31%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$215 PEN 730

46.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,145 PEN 27.7K

-26.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$50.4 PEN 171

19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.94 PEN 122

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$90.0 PEN 305

13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$90.5 PEN 307

18.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for La Merced: July 28, 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 – $193 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 89% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $796 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $531 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 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 $531, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $531 versus $1,003 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.