Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Luque Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Luque

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $994 in Luque, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,503 in Luque, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,012 in Luque, rent included.

Medellin costs about 65% more than Luque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Luque is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.13 ₲24.4K

94.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$33.65 ₲198.6K

43.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.07 ₲29.9K

85.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.27 ₲19.3K

-10.09%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.10 ₲6,474

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.62 ₲3,673

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.00 ₲11.8K

60.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.92 ₲11.3K

197.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.22 ₲7,200

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.49 ₲8,784

61.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.28 ₲7,571

32.81%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.00 ₲11.8K

44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.45 ₲55.8K

6.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.23 ₲30.9K

90.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.67 ₲57.1K

46.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.90 ₲17.1K

37.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.26 ₲7,452

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.18 ₲6,971

82.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.38 ₲14.0K

-3.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.30 ₲7,699

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.26 ₲7,429

19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.86 ₲5,070

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.73 ₲4,301

75.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.31 ₲13.7K

66.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$8.85 ₲52.2K

58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.29 ₲7,641

32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.65 ₲9,752

66.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.66 ₲3,886

89.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.46 ₲8,641

-10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.54 ₲9,070

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$10.27 ₲60.6K

-19.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.15 ₲6,759

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$16.8K ₲99.4M

63.13%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.6K ₲204.1M

5.67%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$25.59 ₲151.1K

559.32%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.02 ₲100.5K

-20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.08 ₲118.6K

41.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$42.76 ₲252.4K

6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.35 ₲49.3K

-20.36%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$181 ₲1.1M

344.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,812 ₲28.4M

90.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$62.2 ₲367.4K

40.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$56.0 ₲330.7K

5.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$106 ₲623.5K

31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$68.9 ₲406.9K

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$425 ₲2.5M

151.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$422 ₲2.5M

54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,490 ₲8.8M

29.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$646 ₲3.8M

62.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,194 ₲7.0M

245.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$473 ₲2.8M

38.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.15

7.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Luque: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $425 in Luque. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Luque. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $208 – making Luque 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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,490 in Luque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Luque, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $994 in Luque. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $181 in Luque. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Luque, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Luque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Luque – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Luque. 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.