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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,463 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,029 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$7.33 JMD 1,154

-19.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$61.8 JMD 9,731

-46.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.79 JMD 1,385

-19.00%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$4.45 JMD 700

-61.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.36 JMD 214

-22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.71 JMD 111

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.47 JMD 389

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.10 JMD 488

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$4.30 JMD 677

-75.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$3.64 JMD 573

-64.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.55 JMD 244

-14.19%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$3.48 JMD 548

-34.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$11.01 JMD 1,734

-59.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$6.41 JMD 1,009

-7.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.61 JMD 1,199

13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$6.19 JMD 975

-62.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$3.03 JMD 477

-63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$4.33 JMD 681

-66.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$3.00 JMD 473

-54.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.02 JMD 318

-42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$1.93 JMD 304

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$2.99 JMD 471

-69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$1.46 JMD 230

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$8.95 JMD 1,409

-73.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.43 JMD 1,799

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.77 JMD 437

-58.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.04 JMD 479

-20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.12 JMD 176

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$3.15 JMD 496

-39.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.09 JMD 959

28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.23 JMD 193

-23.58%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-58.05%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-19.83%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$166 JMD 26.2K

-49.89%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$21.98 JMD 3,462

-56.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$52.0 JMD 8,184

-53.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$12.89 JMD 2,030

-68.43%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$228 JMD 36.0K

34.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$2,494 JMD 392.7K

139.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$25.81 JMD 4,064

132.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$25.64 JMD 4,038

27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

39.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Lucea: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $351 – 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,344 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 $62.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 83% 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 $896, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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 $896 versus $1,018 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.