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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,020 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,684 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,349 in Lucea, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Lucea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Lucea is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$16.07 JMD 2,525

-49.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

-36.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.82 JMD 1,385

6.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.44 JMD 854

-45.96%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.19 JMD 186

56.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.69 JMD 109

111.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.18 JMD 343

47.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.19 JMD 500

79.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$4.20 JMD 660

-65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.67 JMD 576

-34.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.65 JMD 258

3.03%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.46 JMD 544

-16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.58 JMD 1,819

-13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.21 JMD 976

60.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.21 JMD 1,604

39.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.95 JMD 934

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.89 JMD 611

-59.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.34 JMD 1,153

-70.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.04 JMD 477

-24.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.36 JMD 527

-40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.62 JMD 411

-42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.99 JMD 470

-59.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.47 JMD 231

-12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.43 JMD 1,481

-59.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.29 JMD 1,774

24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.95 JMD 463

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.98 JMD 625

-31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.23 JMD 193

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.10 JMD 487

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.36 JMD 999

30.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.35 JMD 213

0.74%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$43.8K JMD 6.9M

-37.34%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

9.58%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$173 JMD 27.2K

-2.61%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.94 JMD 4,703

-54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.4 JMD 8,222

-45.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.33 JMD 2,093

-50.11%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$359 JMD 56.4K

123.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,217 JMD 1.3M

11.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$23.79 JMD 3,738

267.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.08 JMD 4,883

91.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$79.4 JMD 12.5K

74.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$105 JMD 16.4K

-2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $76.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $383 – 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 61% 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,530 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $76.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 $1,020, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $1,020 versus $1,641 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.