Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lucea Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lucea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $892 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,422 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,951 in Lucea, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Lucea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Lucea are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Lucea 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-22.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$63.4 JMD 9,970

-47.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.55 JMD 1,345

-15.44%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.26 JMD 670

-61.74%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.38 JMD 217

-21.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.71 JMD 112

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.56 JMD 402

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.05 JMD 480

5.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$4.40 JMD 692

-76.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.58 JMD 564

-63.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.56 JMD 245

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$3.59 JMD 565

-36.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$10.88 JMD 1,711

-60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$6.37 JMD 1,002

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$7.75 JMD 1,218

11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$5.90 JMD 928

-61.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$3.10 JMD 487

-65.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$4.28 JMD 673

-64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$3.06 JMD 482

-53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$2.10 JMD 330

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.93 JMD 303

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$3.06 JMD 482

-70.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.46 JMD 229

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$8.89 JMD 1,398

-74.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$11.31 JMD 1,778

-2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.86 JMD 450

-60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$3.16 JMD 498

-24.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.13 JMD 177

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$3.19 JMD 502

-40.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$6.13 JMD 964

26.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.23 JMD 193

-17.89%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-58.83%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-22.55%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$165 JMD 26.0K

-49.32%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$22.15 JMD 3,485

-57.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$50.6 JMD 7,959

-52.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$13.28 JMD 2,089

-69.13%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$222 JMD 34.9K

40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

145.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$26.37 JMD 4,148

120.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$25.81 JMD 4,059

26.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

38.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $352 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lucea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 14% more than Lucea, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,338 in Lucea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $63.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 85% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucea, where all-in costs run around $892, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Lucea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lucea costs $892 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Lucea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.