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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,013 in Libertad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,651 in Libertad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,289 in Libertad.

Living in Medellin is roughly 2% more expensive than Libertad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Libertad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$16.11 UYU 641

-63.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$54.6 UYU 2,170

-39.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$12.44 UYU 495

-42.12%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.09 UYU 163

-58.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.27 UYU 90.2

-51.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.74 UYU 69.3

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$4.36 UYU 173

-61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.66 UYU 145

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.21 UYU 48.04

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.89 UYU 115

-56.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.66 UYU 66.1

-16.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.88 UYU 194

-53.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.63 UYU 542

-68.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.65 UYU 424

-45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.08 UYU 441

-20.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.09 UYU 123

-27.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.42 UYU 96.4

-55.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.50 UYU 59.8

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$3.68 UYU 146

-62.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.14 UYU 85.1

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.96 UYU 77.9

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.30 UYU 51.9

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.67 UYU 66.5

-45.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.01 UYU 199

-53.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.18 UYU 405

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.30 UYU 91.6

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.90 UYU 115

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.57 UYU 62.4

-8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.49 UYU 139

-45.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$12.12 UYU 482

-33.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.90 UYU 75.5

-50.53%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.9K UYU 1.3M

-47.09%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-25.61%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$171 UYU 6,794

-50.84%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.48 UYU 655

-41.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$49.21 UYU 1,958

-50.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.71 UYU 426

-63.40%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$485 UYU 19.3K

-36.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,855 UYU 352.2K

-33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$96.2 UYU 3,826

-39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$47.87 UYU 1,904

-33.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$116 UYU 4,609

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$121 UYU 4,825

-11.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Libertad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $55.0 in Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $322 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,013 including rent). Libertad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,519 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.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 70% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,013 in Libertad – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Libertad versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Libertad but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Libertad 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 Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.