Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,155 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,969 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,783 in Leova.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Leova 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.59 MDL 183

-43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$34.66 MDL 599

-3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.53 MDL 165

-24.13%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.87 MDL 15.01

87.36%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.51 MDL 8.76

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.42 MDL 7.28

73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.61 MDL 45.09

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.83 MDL 48.95

14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.79 MDL 30.99

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.60 MDL 10.36

115.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.42 MDL 24.49

-7.04%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.37 MDL 23.58

65.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$14.33 MDL 247

-69.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.41 MDL 41.57

143.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.08 MDL 70.5

111.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.35 MDL 23.32

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.90 MDL 15.53

18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.95 MDL 16.45

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.19 MDL 20.52

19.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.61 MDL 27.79

-27.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.59 MDL 10.21

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.46 MDL 7.87

93.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.07 MDL 18.40

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.80 MDL 82.8

-53.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$15.72 MDL 271

-29.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.16 MDL 20.01

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.78 MDL 48.01

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.39 MDL 6.78

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$29.96 MDL 517

40.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.87 MDL 49.50

-50.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.51 MDL 8.87

272.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.41 MDL 58.9

127.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.49 MDL 25.67

-32.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.4K MDL 594.8K

-48.95%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.6K MDL 614.7K

-25.57%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$195 MDL 3,363

-57.03%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.81 MDL 100

62.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$21.97 MDL 379

9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$35.40 MDL 611

-28.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.48 MDL 198

66.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.70 MDL 81.2

-12.77%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$88.3 MDL 1,525

-34.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$58.4 MDL 1,008

-44.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$99.8 MDL 1,724

-0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$118 MDL 2,034

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$864 MDL 14.9K

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$373 MDL 6,449

1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,548 MDL 26.7K

-45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,160 MDL 20.0K

-37.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,523 MDL 43.6K

12.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,978 MDL 34.2K

-38.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$663 MDL 11.4K

-18.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.19

86.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Leova: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $864 in Leova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 23% 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 $35.00 in Leova. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $188, with Leova 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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Leova earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $864 in Leova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,155 in Leova – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,155 in Leova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Leova, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.