Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Tablas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $681 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Las Tablas $681

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $904 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Las Tablas $904

Medellin costs about 269% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Las Tablas is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$10.08 PAB 10.08

-17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.3K

$29.60 PAB 29.60

57.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$8.75 PAB 8.75

8.23%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

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

$1.77 COP 5,705

$1.02 PAB 1.02

73.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,601

$1.02 PAB 1.02

39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$1.24 PAB 1.24

154.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$2.71 PAB 2.71

110.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,950

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,401

$1.97 PAB 1.97

16.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,282

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,905

$2.06 PAB 2.06

49.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$4.38 PAB 4.38

-7.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,937

$1.29 PAB 1.29

18.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,797

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,409

$1.51 PAB 1.51

51.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,813

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,521

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,780

$1.28 PAB 1.28

-8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,104

$0.98 PAB 0.98

61.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.4K

$5.80 PAB 5.80

142.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,690

$1.30 PAB 1.30

35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,760

$1.72 PAB 1.72

57.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,811

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,836

$1.01 PAB 1.01

79.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,878

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,119

$0.94 PAB 0.94

36.17%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

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

$34.1K COP 110.3M

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

$178 COP 574.1K

$147 PAB 147

20.84%

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

$13.89 COP 44.9K

$22.59 PAB 22.59

-38.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.3K

$37.18 PAB 37.18

-17.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.5K

$20.02 PAB 20.02

109.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.2K

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $30 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $104 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

Same time as Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

8,939

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Las Tablas 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Las Tablas

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 Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 269% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $458 in Las Tablas. That makes Las Tablas about 73% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 197% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $458 in Las Tablas to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.