Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Libertad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Libertad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,044 in Libertad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,633 in Libertad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,223 in Libertad.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Libertad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Libertad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$16.12 UYU 648

-63.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$54.2 UYU 2,180

-39.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$12.31 UYU 495

-39.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.23 UYU 170

-60.99%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.16 UYU 86.9

-49.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.75 UYU 70.4

-55.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$4.28 UYU 172

-59.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.61 UYU 145

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.28 UYU 51.3

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.81 UYU 113

-55.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.59 UYU 64.1

-13.21%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.89 UYU 197

-55.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.61 UYU 547

-67.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.91 UYU 439

-46.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.24 UYU 452

-20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.01 UYU 121

-22.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.45 UYU 98.6

-56.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.50 UYU 60.5

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.72 UYU 150

-63.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.07 UYU 83.2

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.95 UYU 78.3

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.35 UYU 54.4

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.72 UYU 69.1

-47.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.24 UYU 211

-57.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.59 UYU 345

41.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.27 UYU 91.4

-47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.92 UYU 117

-15.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.57 UYU 63.0

-9.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.50 UYU 141

-44.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$12.39 UYU 498

-36.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-47.89%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.7K UYU 1.4M

-49.21%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-25.65%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$171 UYU 6,892

-51.58%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.52 UYU 664

-41.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$49.23 UYU 1,979

-52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.51 UYU 422

-62.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$486 UYU 19.5K

-35.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,768 UYU 352.5K

-31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$96.0 UYU 3,860

-37.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$47.99 UYU 1,929

-33.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$116 UYU 4,650

-12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$122 UYU 4,914

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.68

136.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Libertad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $321 per month, with Medellin 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 Libertad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Libertad differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,044 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,566 in Libertad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Libertad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,044 in Libertad – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,044 in Libertad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Libertad. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Libertad 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Libertad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.