Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lelydorp Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lelydorp

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $200 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $411 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $623 in Lelydorp.

Living in Medellin is roughly 418% more expensive than Lelydorp, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lelydorp 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.01 SRD 188

18.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.63 SRD 1,335

-8.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.17 SRD 231

16.69%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.22 SRD 45.60

-9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.46 SRD 17.28

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.02 SRD 75.6

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.05 SRD 114

1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.21 SRD 45.47

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.99 SRD 37.00

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.19 SRD 44.51

16.81%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.86 SRD 107

-20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.98 SRD 149

46.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.17 SRD 306

8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 SRD 56.8

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.98 SRD 36.70

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.98 SRD 36.62

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.84 SRD 31.32

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.06 SRD 77.1

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.48 SRD 18.13

64.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.87 SRD 32.50

8.05%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$295 SRD 11.0K

85.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-21.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 85% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Lelydorp. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $117, with Lelydorp cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lelydorp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lelydorp wins on cost – living expenses run 418% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lelydorp the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 85% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $200 in Lelydorp – a 418% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $200 in Lelydorp versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lelydorp but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lelydorp the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lelydorp delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $200 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lelydorp hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lelydorp are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lelydorp gentler on the wallet – expenses run 418% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.