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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,039 in Libertad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,635 in Libertad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $2,232 in Libertad.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 1% less than in Libertad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Libertad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.9K

$16.22 UYU 655

-63.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$54.0 UYU 2,179

-39.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.9K

$12.14 UYU 490

-38.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,761

$4.27 UYU 172

-61.36%

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

$1.07 COP 3,729

$2.24 UYU 90.2

-52.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,654

$1.70 UYU 68.6

-55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 6,015

$4.38 UYU 177

-60.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.2K

$3.74 UYU 151

-14.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.22 UYU 49.15

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,560

$2.77 UYU 112

-52.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,674

$1.60 UYU 64.4

-16.25%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,657

$4.98 UYU 201

-56.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.4K

$13.50 UYU 545

-67.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.9K

$10.62 UYU 429

-46.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.7K

$10.82 UYU 436

-21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,167

$3.10 UYU 125

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,873

$2.38 UYU 95.9

-53.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,304

$1.57 UYU 63.3

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,765

$3.70 UYU 149

-62.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,021

$2.16 UYU 87.2

-46.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,116

$1.92 UYU 77.5

-38.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,937

$1.30 UYU 52.5

-35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,984

$1.69 UYU 68.1

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,893

$5.23 UYU 211

-56.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 40.5K

$9.97 UYU 402

16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,183

$2.38 UYU 96.2

-49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,637

$3.06 UYU 123

-18.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,770

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 142.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,114

$1.57 UYU 63.2

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,686

$3.57 UYU 144

-46.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 27.1K

$12.11 UYU 489

-35.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,526

$1.88 UYU 75.7

-46.28%

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

$17.7K COP 61.6M

$34.2K UYU 1.4M

-48.37%

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

$26.5K COP 92.3M

$35.8K UYU 1.4M

-26.12%

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

$81.1 COP 283.0K

$174 UYU 7,004

-53.28%

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

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$16.96 UYU 684

-44.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 83.2K

$50.2 UYU 2,025

-52.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 90.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 65.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.3K

$10.63 UYU 429

-61.52%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$488 UYU 19.7K

-35.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 21.0M

$8,874 UYU 358.1K

-32.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 208.3K

$96.5 UYU 3,895

-38.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 111.5K

$48.45 UYU 1,955

-34.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 353.2K

$112 UYU 4,515

-9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 366.8K

$122 UYU 4,939

-14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Libertad: June 14, 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 $190 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $1,039 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $1,558 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 69% higher in Libertad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $1,039 in Libertad – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,039 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 1% less than in Libertad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.