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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $828 in Leticia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,254 in Leticia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,680 in Leticia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 24% more expensive than in Leticia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Leticia 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.10 COP 13.3K

50.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.70 COP 77.1K

37.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.06 COP 23.0K

3.97%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.49 COP 4,846

15.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.88 COP 2,852

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.57 COP 1,869

35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.20 COP 3,904

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.23 COP 7,260

42.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.11 COP 3,613

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.28 COP 4,163

1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.00 COP 3,255

40.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.87 COP 6,089

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.37 COP 14.2K

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.13 COP 16.7K

14.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.32 COP 23.8K

18.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.98 COP 12.9K

-42.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.89 COP 6,163

-41.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.31 COP 4,266

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.86 COP 2,806

56.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.16 COP 3,791

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.16 COP 3,782

-2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.82 COP 2,673

3.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.70 COP 2,266

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.40 COP 7,808

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.45 COP 34.0K

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.08 COP 3,512

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.79 COP 5,825

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.67 COP 2,190

25.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.60 COP 99.6K

32.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.46 COP 4,764

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.73 COP 5,623

10.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.12 COP 19.9K

25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.99 COP 3,220

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.8K COP 58.1M

1.05%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.4K COP 82.7M

4.76%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$82.1 COP 267.1K

-1.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.12 COP 29.7K

9.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.65 COP 73.7K

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.27 COP 75.8K

7.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.84 COP 12.5K

3.65%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$241 COP 785.5K

26.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,896 COP 19.2M

2.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$58.5 COP 190.4K

-0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.32 COP 108.5K

-3.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.6 COP 268.9K

21.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$72.5 COP 236.0K

48.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$283 COP 920.9K

68.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$239 COP 779.5K

57.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$524 COP 1.7M

61.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$429 COP 1.4M

70.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,005 COP 6.5M

60.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,203 COP 3.9M

14.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$405 COP 1.3M

52.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Leticia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $283 in Leticia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 52% 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 $193 vs $184 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 24% 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.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $283 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $828 in Leticia – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $828 in Leticia versus $1,031 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 $828 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 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.