Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Los Angeles, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $6,231 in Los Angeles, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $8,199 in Los Angeles, CA.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 62% less than in Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Los Angeles, CA 209% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$25.10 $25.10

-67.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$121 $121

-60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$14.68 $14.68

-35.83%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.86 $5.86

-49.83%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$3.77 $3.77

-50.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.86 $2.86

-48.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.79 $7.79

-58.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$10.13 $10.13

-43.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.35 $1.35

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$4.81 $4.81

-50.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.93 $4.93

-65.52%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.77 $5.77

-49.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.05 $12.05

-16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$15.65 $15.65

-36.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$20.17 $20.17

-29.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.43 $5.43

-26.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.35 $2.35

-32.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.92 $4.92

-56.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.67 $5.67

-59.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.27 $3.27

-38.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.84 $2.84

-46.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.03 $2.03

-40.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.43 $2.43

-47.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$12.88 $12.88

-70.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$14.95 $14.95

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.11 $3.11

-45.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.80 $2.80

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.77 $1.77

-29.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$103 $103

-24.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$3.05 $3.05

-57.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.82 $1.82

19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$31.69 $31.69

-73.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.53 $1.53

-11.11%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.9K $36.9K

-25.52%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.3K $26.3K

38.68%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$294 $294

-42.62%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$74.5 $74.5

-81.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$81.8 $81.8

-65.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$71.8 $71.8

-36.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$12.10 $12.10

42.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$19.29 $19.29

-65.53%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,762 $1,762

-54.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$32.2K $32.2K

-71.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$90.3 $90.3

-3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$64.4 $64.4

-7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$115 $115

20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$193 $193

-47.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$2,595 $2,595

-58.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$2,384 $2,384

-72.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$5,287 $5,287

-63.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$4,332 $4,332

-75.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$7,393 $7,393

-44.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$7,068 $7,068

-75.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$4,306 $4,306

-84.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.5

68.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 557% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $121 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $472 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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 557% lower in Los Angeles, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 33% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $803 in Medellin versus $1,762 in Los Angeles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.