Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Les Ulis

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,965 in Les Ulis, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Les Ulis
🇫🇷 France
$1,965
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Les Ulis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Les Ulis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Les Ulis, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Les Ulis $1,965

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $3,037 in Les Ulis, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Les Ulis $3,037

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $4,109 in Les Ulis, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Les Ulis $4,109

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Les Ulis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Les Ulis sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Les Ulis by 45%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$18.70 €16.64
-55.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$77.3 €68.8
-39.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$13.34 €11.86
-30.73%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$5.01 €4.45
-39.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$4.51 €4.02
-60.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$2.67 €2.38
-48.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$7.88 €7.01
-58.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$6.75 €6.00
-17.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.57 €1.40
-4.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$2.51 €2.23
-5.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$2.66 €2.36
-36.09%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$4.30 €3.83
-31.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$21.70 €19.31
-52.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$13.47 €11.98
-27.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$22.43 €19.95
-38.03%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$3.18 €2.83
29.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$2.17 €1.93
-29.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$2.92 €2.60
-23.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$4.11 €3.66
-44.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.88 €1.67
5.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$2.47 €2.19
-32.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.85 €1.65
-36.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.88 €0.78
40.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$14.67 €13.05
-73.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$8.95 €7.96
53.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$2.67 €2.37
-37.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$3.53 €3.14
-32.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$1.92 €1.71
-35.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$47.30 €42.07
65.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$8.82 €7.85
-85.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.43 €1.27
50.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$45.02 €40.04
-81.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$2.19 €1.95
-38.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$34.9K €31.0K
-0.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$35.7K €31.8K
-2.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$247 €220
-32.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$15.57 €13.85
-12.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$30.09 €26.77
-3.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$36.10 €32.11
24.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$14.78 €13.15
-52.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,788 €1,591
-55.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$10.1K €8,956
-10.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$112 €99.4
-21.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$52.0 €46.21
11.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$120 €107
15.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$160 €142
-38.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$741 €659
38.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$608 €541
1.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,391 €1,238
35.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,105 €983
-8.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$3,866 €3,439
3.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,967 €2,639
-42.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Les Ulis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.4
221.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Les Ulis: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Les Ulis
$608 1.8% $11
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Les Ulis
$396 33.1% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Les Ulis
$293 39.7% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Les Ulis
$200 15.6% $27
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Les Ulis
$331 94% $161
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Les Ulis
$71 25.4% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Les Ulis
$66 11.2% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $741 in Les Ulis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $77.0 in Les Ulis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $396 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇫🇷 Les Ulis
🕒 Local time
08:16 8:16 AM
15:16 3:16 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
25,253
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Les Ulis 8,590 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Les Ulis

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Les Ulis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Les Ulis compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,625 in Medellin, $1,965 in Les Ulis – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Les Ulis?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,948 in Les Ulis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Les Ulis?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 33% more in Les Ulis, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $77.0 in Les Ulis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Les Ulis at $1,965. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Les Ulis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Les Ulis?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,625 in Medellin to $1,965 in Les Ulis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Les Ulis safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Medellin and Les Ulis?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Les Ulis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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