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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $196 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $401 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $605 in Lelydorp.

Living in Medellin is roughly 758% more expensive than in Lelydorp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Lelydorp is 86% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.04 SRD 190

59.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$34.69 SRD 1,307

37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.98 SRD 225

65.38%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.29 SRD 48.48

48.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.47 SRD 17.61

221.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.05 SRD 77.4

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.95 SRD 111

94.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.18 SRD 44.42

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.02 SRD 38.40

144.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.18 SRD 44.63

50.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.88 SRD 108

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.10 SRD 155

146.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.15 SRD 307

75.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.52 SRD 57.3

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.01 SRD 38.07

101.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.02 SRD 38.58

50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.83 SRD 31.19

57.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.98 SRD 74.6

-12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.52 SRD 19.70

134.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.93 SRD 35.16

47.31%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$302 SRD 11.4K

124.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-35.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 124% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Lelydorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $117 per month, with Lelydorp cheaper across the board.

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 758% 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.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Medellin, 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 $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $196 in Lelydorp – a 758% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 160% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $196 in Lelydorp versus $1,681 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 $196 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 758% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.