Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lourdes

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $1,830 in Lourdes, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Lourdes despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin, Colombia
Lourdes, France
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Lourdes
🇫🇷 France
$1,830
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Lourdes

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 Lourdes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,830 in Lourdes, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Lourdes $1,830

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $2,824 in Lourdes, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Lourdes $2,824

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $3,817 in Lourdes, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Lourdes $3,817

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Lourdes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Lourdes sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Lourdes by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$16.58 €14.83
-49.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.2K
$66.6 €59.6
-30.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$13.29 €11.88
-28.74%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$3.72 €3.33
-15.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,702
$3.15 €2.82
-43.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,599
$1.82 €1.63
-21.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$7.20 €6.44
-56.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$5.61 €5.01
1.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,948
$1.30 €1.16
17.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$1.89 €1.69
21.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,279
$2.56 €2.29
-24.22%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,900
$4.24 €3.79
-27.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$19.10 €17.08
-47.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$12.23 €10.94
-14.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$21.97 €19.65
-36.46%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.05 €2.73
32.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,934
$2.18 €1.95
-29.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,794
$2.82 €2.52
-25.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,405
$3.22 €2.88
-28.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,810
$1.91 €1.71
10.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,518
$2.19 €1.96
-21.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,778
$1.45 €1.30
-19.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,101
$0.74 €0.66
113.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$13.88 €12.41
-71.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$7.93 €7.09
77.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,688
$2.75 €2.46
-36.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,756
$3.44 €3.08
-21.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,809
$1.73 €1.55
-31.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.3K
$49.23 €44.02
54.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,833
$5.11 €4.57
-64.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,874
$2.14 €1.91
-0.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$32.82 €29.35
-75.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,117
$2.17 €1.94
-41.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$34.7K €31.0K
-0.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.2M
$37.0K €33.1K
-7.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.8K
$204 €182
-12.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$15.81 €14.14
-12.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.2K
$31.25 €27.94
-1.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
$35.17 €31.44
19.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$13.44 €12.02
-44.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$815 €729
-3.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$10.5K €9,391
17.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.7K
$94.1 €84.1
-8.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.3K
$42.06 €37.61
40.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.6K
$103 €92.4
33.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.0K
$132 €118
-25.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$767 €686
74.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$633 €566
5.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,444 €1,291
36.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,160 €1,038
-10.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$4,187 €3,744
-2.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$3,086 €2,760
-37.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Lourdes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$2,095 €1,873
-69.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.79
188.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lourdes: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Lourdes
$633 5.1% $34
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Lourdes
$360 17.3% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Lourdes
$251 12.8% $28
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Lourdes
$284 64.7% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Lourdes
$167 2.9% $4.9
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Lourdes
$72 23% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Lourdes
$62 9.1% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $767 in Lourdes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lourdes are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $67 in Lourdes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $360 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇫🇷 Lourdes
🕒 Local time
17:49 5:49 PM
23:49 11:49 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
13,509
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,610 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Lourdes 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Lourdes

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 Lourdes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Lourdes compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,692 in Medellin, $1,830 in Lourdes – Medellin comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Lourdes?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $2,746 in Lourdes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Lourdes?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lourdes, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $767 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $67 in Lourdes. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Lourdes?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $1,830 in Lourdes. That makes Medellin about 8% cheaper.
How far does $2,500 go in Medellin compared to Lourdes?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $1,830 in Lourdes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Lourdes?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $1,830 in Lourdes. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Medellin and Lourdes?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lourdes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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