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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $389 in Luque, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Luque, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,421 in Luque, rent included.

Medellin costs about 160% more than Luque, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Luque are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Luque 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.20 ₲19.5K

87.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$22.28 ₲135.8K

47.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.75 ₲22.8K

89.07%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.10 ₲6,684

55.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.83 ₲5,088

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.50 ₲3,032

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.15 ₲6,993

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.55 ₲9,457

98.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.89 ₲5,448

22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.01 ₲6,136

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.97 ₲5,887

42.27%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.63 ₲9,955

34.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.70 ₲40.9K

-34.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.13 ₲19.1K

79.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.53 ₲39.8K

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.04 ₲12.5K

14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.78 ₲4,741

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.87 ₲5,322

72.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.96 ₲5,843

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.08 ₲6,566

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.68 ₲4,122

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.55 ₲3,375

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.52 ₲3,181

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.39 ₲8,485

64.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.47 ₲51.6K

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.72 ₲4,384

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.39 ₲8,459

77.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.48 ₲2,900

79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.60 ₲3,677

145.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.73 ₲4,458

168.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.05 ₲55.2K

-14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.86 ₲5,268

10.47%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$14.5K ₲88.2M

25.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$23.6K ₲144.1M

12.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$18.90 ₲115.2K

335.19%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.91 ₲84.8K

-31.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$15.18 ₲92.5K

59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$30.02 ₲183.0K

-13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.99 ₲30.4K

-21.24%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$164 ₲999.1K

88.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,245 ₲19.8M

83.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$48.28 ₲294.2K

21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$31.48 ₲191.9K

2.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$71.3 ₲434.6K

43.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$52.6 ₲320.6K

106.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$310 ₲1.9M

53.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$471 ₲2.9M

53.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,173 ₲7.1M

137.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$470 ₲2.9M

8.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Luque: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $310 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 9% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Luque. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $144 – 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 160%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $583 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $389 in Luque. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $164 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 $389, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.