Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $854 in Leon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,382 in Leon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,909 in Leon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Leon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Leon are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Leon 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$13.24 MX$229

-54.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$39.05 MX$675

-15.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.48 MX$112

9.41%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.71 MX$64.2

-53.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.58 MX$27.39

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.94 MX$16.23

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.76 MX$30.42

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.07 MX$70.3

-24.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.27 MX$22.05

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.96 MX$33.87

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.14 MX$19.64

21.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.63 MX$28.22

34.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.27 MX$109

-29.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.27 MX$91.2

6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.93 MX$172

-10.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.55 MX$26.77

50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.87 MX$15.04

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.60 MX$10.45

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.51 MX$8.82

170.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.50 MX$25.95

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.89 MX$15.32

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.77 MX$13.34

15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.00 MX$17.24

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.20 MX$72.7

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.29 MX$247

-25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.35 MX$23.29

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.85 MX$49.22

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.73 MX$12.59

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$36.48 MX$631

13.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.23 MX$55.9

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.89 MX$15.39

120.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.09 MX$226

-40.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.33 MX$23.09

-28.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$21.2K MX$366.6K

-14.45%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.1K MX$416.2K

10.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$21.30 MX$368

286.15%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$23.35 MX$404

-59.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.36 MX$387

8.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$27.97 MX$484

-7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.14 MX$279

17.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.26 MX$73.7

-7.75%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$215 MX$3,727

43.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,851 MX$49.3K

109.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$58.0 MX$1,003

1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$41.89 MX$725

-22.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$51.7 MX$894

98.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$28.19 MX$488

284.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$211 MX$3,644

126.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$222 MX$3,839

70.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$391 MX$6,762

114.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$424 MX$7,340

70.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$572 MX$9,892

-10.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.67

15.08%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Leon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $211 in Leon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Leon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Leon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $199 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Leon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 19% more than Leon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,281 in Leon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Leon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Leon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leon costs $854 versus $1,013 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 Leon. 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.