Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leticia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Leticia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $804 in Leticia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,223 in Leticia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,641 in Leticia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than Leticia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Leticia 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

52.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$23.76 COP 84.7K

38.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.39 COP 26.4K

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.51 COP 5,377

13.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.88 COP 3,124

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.62 COP 2,203

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.16 COP 4,138

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.20 COP 7,853

39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.05 COP 3,749

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.23 COP 4,396

2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.96 COP 3,416

43.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.88 COP 6,704

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.34 COP 15.5K

1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.33 COP 19.0K

5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.53 COP 26.9K

18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.84 COP 13.7K

-39.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.97 COP 7,017

-46.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.30 COP 4,623

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.87 COP 3,085

58.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.17 COP 4,173

-1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.18 COP 4,196

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.88 COP 3,139

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.66 COP 2,340

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.41 COP 8,597

-5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.68 COP 38.1K

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.10 COP 3,904

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.78 COP 6,353

38.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.68 COP 2,437

26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$30.40 COP 108.4K

36.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.43 COP 5,091

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.68 COP 5,987

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.09 COP 21.7K

27.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.98 COP 3,506

-3.06%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$17.7K COP 63.1M

2.36%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.9K COP 92.5M

2.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$83.0 COP 296.0K

-0.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.06 COP 32.3K

4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.43 COP 79.9K

8.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$23.15 COP 82.5K

11.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.84 COP 13.7K

2.34%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$239 COP 851.3K

29.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,880 COP 21.0M

1.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$58.8 COP 209.7K

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$33.12 COP 118.1K

-2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$84.6 COP 301.7K

21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$71.4 COP 254.6K

51.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$279 COP 994.9K

70.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$240 COP 857.1K

57.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$518 COP 1.8M

61.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$429 COP 1.5M

68.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,553 COP 5.5M

79.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,221 COP 4.4M

-0.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$350 COP 1.2M

46.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.18

1.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Leticia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $279 in Leticia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% 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 $24.00 in Leticia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $185 per month, with Leticia 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 Leticia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leticia wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Leticia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $279 in Leticia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Leticia – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $804 in Leticia – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Leticia versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Leticia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Leticia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Leticia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $804 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Leticia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Leticia 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 Leticia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.