Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lodz

For one person, living is cheaper in Lodz: $1,492 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. The total is higher in Medellin despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin, Colombia
Lodz, Poland
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Lodz
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,492
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Lodz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Lodz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,625 in Medellin versus $1,492 in Lodz.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Lodz $1,492

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Medellin versus $2,191 in Lodz.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Lodz $2,191

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Medellin versus $2,889 in Lodz.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Lodz $2,889

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Lodz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Lodz 10% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.1K
$9.67 zł 37.93
-14.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 147.5K
$46.77 zł 183
0.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.1K
$8.80 zł 34.50
5.00%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,596
$3.55 zł 13.93
-14.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,659
$2.80 zł 10.97
-35.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,345
$2.72 zł 10.65
-49.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.2K
$4.65 zł 18.25
-30.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.5K
$5.16 zł 20.25
7.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,720
$0.98 zł 3.86
53.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,445
$1.08 zł 4.23
119.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,332
$1.34 zł 5.27
26.87%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,301
$3.47 zł 13.59
-14.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.1K
$10.50 zł 41.19
-2.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.6K
$6.92 zł 27.14
40.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 43.7K
$11.97 zł 46.96
16.12%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.0K
$1.15 zł 4.50
259.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,799
$1.67 zł 6.53
-8.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 6,993
$2.32 zł 9.10
-4.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,135
$3.00 zł 11.76
-24.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,258
$0.78 zł 3.07
155.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,241
$0.93 zł 3.66
79.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,711
$1.40 zł 5.47
-15.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,886
$0.60 zł 2.35
106.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.2K
$5.80 zł 22.75
-33.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.3K
$6.76 zł 26.51
103.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,212
$1.16 zł 4.53
43.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,552
$1.75 zł 6.88
37.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$1.10 zł 4.31
12.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 245.9K
$52.1 zł 204
50.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,011
$1.54 zł 6.06
-16.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,747
$0.54 zł 2.11
298.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.3K
$9.35 zł 36.67
-10.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,252
$1.61 zł 6.31
-16.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 109.3M
$30.4K zł 119.1K
14.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$28.3K zł 110.9K
22.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 524.0K
$321 zł 1,258
-48.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 42.8K
$8.43 zł 33.05
61.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 91.6K
$17.64 zł 69.2
65.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 141.8K
$36.34 zł 143
24.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.0K
$17.84 zł 70.0
-3.70%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 21.9K
$8.34 zł 32.70
-16.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$511 zł 2,004
54.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.4M
$10.2K zł 40.0K
-11.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 276.1K
$73.4 zł 288
19.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 182.8K
$40.53 zł 159
43.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 437.0K
$90.7 zł 356
53.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 310.9K
$98.9 zł 388
-0.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.2M
$599 zł 2,349
71.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 1.9M
$472 zł 1,849
31.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 5.9M
$1,096 zł 4,297
71.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$833 zł 3,265
21.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.5M
$3,108 zł 12.2K
28.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,352 zł 9,223
-27.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Lodz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$1,627 zł 6,382
-59.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.87
59.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lodz: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Lodz
$472 23.9% $148
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Lodz
$222 25.6% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Lodz
$347 65.6% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Lodz
$137 20.9% $36
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Lodz
$202 18.3% $31
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Lodz
$61 36.2% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Lodz
$53 10.2% $6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $599 in Lodz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lodz pays about 2.5 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $47 in Lodz. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $222, with Lodz cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇱 Lodz
🕒 Local time
20:51 8:51 PM
02:51 2:51 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
711,332
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 3,144 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 3.92 PLN (1 PLN = 0.255 USD). 1 EUR = 4.39 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Lodz 9,810 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Lodz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lodz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Lodz?
Lodz wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lodz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Lodz?
On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Medellin. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Lodz?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $599 in Lodz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Lodz?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Lodz?
All in, you’ll spend $1,625 per month in Medellin versus $1,492 in Lodz – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Lodz?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Lodz is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Lodz?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lodz delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,492 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lodz hard to pass up.

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