Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Las Muesas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Muesas: $1,331 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Las Muesas, Puerto Rico
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Las Muesas
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,331
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Las Muesas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Las Muesas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $1,331 in Las Muesas.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Las Muesas $1,331

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $2,101 in Las Muesas.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Las Muesas $2,101

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $2,871 in Las Muesas.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Las Muesas $2,871

Living in Medellin is roughly 27% more expensive than in Las Muesas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Las Muesas is 2% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$19.24 $19.24
-56.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$84.4 $84.4
-44.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$9.30 $9.30
1.83%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$3.50 $3.50
-10.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,696
$1.85 $1.85
-4.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,594
$1.54 $1.54
-7.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$3.03 $3.03
3.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$5.03 $5.03
13.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,943
$2.21 $2.21
-30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,389
$3.58 $3.58
-36.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,273
$2.43 $2.43
-20.16%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,889
$7.89 $7.89
-61.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$12.67 $12.67
-21.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$9.87 $9.87
5.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$13.54 $13.54
3.10%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$4.96 $4.96
-18.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,929
$2.57 $2.57
-40.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,786
$4.76 $4.76
-55.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$4.69 $4.69
-51.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,803
$3.84 $3.84
-45.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,512
$4.07 $4.07
-57.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,774
$3.53 $3.53
-66.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,096
$1.59 $1.59
-0.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$11.95 $11.95
-67.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$15.86 $15.86
-11.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,682
$3.06 $3.06
-42.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,746
$3.90 $3.90
-30.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,805
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,827
$2.51 $2.51
-27.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$1.53 $1.53
39.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$42.29 $42.29
-80.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,113
$1.24 $1.24
3.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$34.9K $34.9K
-1.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$27.7K $27.7K
23.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.2K
$326 $326
-45.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$68.6 $68.6
-79.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.1K
$71.0 $71.0
-56.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.3K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$10.68 $10.68
-30.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$811 $811
-2.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$11.7K $11.7K
4.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.4K
$56.4 $56.4
53.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.1K
$61.9 $61.9
-4.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.2K
$109 $109
26.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.7K
$116 $116
-14.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Las Muesas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.55
67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Las Muesas: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Las Muesas
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Las Muesas
$417 35.8% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Las Muesas
$465 109% $243
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Las Muesas
$263 52.2% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Las Muesas
$155 10.3% $18
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Las Muesas
$10 * 89.1% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Las Muesas
$21 * 62.5% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $84 in Las Muesas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $417 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇷 Las Muesas
🕒 Local time
20:12 8:12 PM
21:12 9:12 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
18,494
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Las Muesas 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Las Muesas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Las Muesas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Las Muesas cheaper than Medellin?
Las Muesas is about 21% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $1,997 in Las Muesas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Las Muesas?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Las Muesas?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $1,331 in Las Muesas – Las Muesas is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Las Muesas?
At $1,331 in Las Muesas versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Las Muesas but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Las Muesas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Las Muesas?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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