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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,171 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,958 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,745 in Leova.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 14% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Leova 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$10.80 MDL 190

-45.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$34.77 MDL 610

-5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$9.85 MDL 173

-24.57%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$0.84 MDL 14.81

96.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.52 MDL 9.05

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.42 MDL 7.45

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.62 MDL 45.98

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.89 MDL 50.7

10.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.74 MDL 30.47

-36.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.57 MDL 9.91

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.38 MDL 24.18

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.37 MDL 24.09

59.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$14.54 MDL 255

-69.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$2.36 MDL 41.42

145.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.10 MDL 71.8

118.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.39 MDL 24.35

66.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.89 MDL 15.61

19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.01 MDL 17.73

50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.16 MDL 20.30

17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.62 MDL 28.46

-30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.57 MDL 9.96

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.45 MDL 7.98

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.04 MDL 18.16

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.68 MDL 82.1

-52.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$15.27 MDL 268

-20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.18 MDL 20.70

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.81 MDL 49.25

-11.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.40 MDL 6.96

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$29.04 MDL 509

43.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.98 MDL 52.3

-52.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.53 MDL 9.29

267.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.50 MDL 61.4

125.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.50 MDL 26.30

-34.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$34.8K MDL 611.2K

-49.48%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$35.9K MDL 630.4K

-25.43%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$197 MDL 3,448

-57.77%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$5.72 MDL 100

69.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$21.71 MDL 381

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$35.74 MDL 627

-29.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$11.73 MDL 206

62.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.56 MDL 79.9

-13.38%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$86.9 MDL 1,525

-30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$59.3 MDL 1,041

-46.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$100 MDL 1,755

1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$119 MDL 2,080

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$876 MDL 15.4K

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$360 MDL 6,318

3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,548 MDL 27.2K

-45.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,138 MDL 20.0K

-36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,554 MDL 44.8K

27.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,972 MDL 34.6K

-26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$667 MDL 11.7K

-6.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Leova: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $876 in Leova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 7% 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 $193 vs $186, 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Leova. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $876 in Leova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,171 in Leova – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,171 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 17% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.