Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lushnje Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lushnje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,197 in Lushnje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,859 in Lushnje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,520 in Lushnje.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 14% less than in Lushnje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lushnje 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.71 ALL 955

-47.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$59.0 ALL 4,809

-44.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.50 ALL 774

-22.74%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.02 ALL 165

-14.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.81 ALL 148

-41.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.96 ALL 78.5

-19.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.97 ALL 242

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.00 ALL 326

-20.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.11 ALL 172

-50.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.13 ALL 92.5

15.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.14 ALL 174

-34.58%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.83 ALL 313

-43.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.88 ALL 1,050

-65.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.62 ALL 622

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.86 ALL 1,293

-45.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.78 ALL 145

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.66 ALL 217

-58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.98 ALL 162

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.99 ALL 163

-32.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.37 ALL 112

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.32 ALL 108

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.52 ALL 124

-44.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 ALL 61.2

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.20 ALL 342

-44.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.19 ALL 831

21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.64 ALL 134

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.16 ALL 176

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.45 ALL 36.47

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$18.59 ALL 1,516

118.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.54 ALL 289

-59.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.21 ALL 262

-40.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.56 ALL 1,432

-56.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.15 ALL 176

-53.95%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

-54.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

-24.18%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$108 ALL 8,799

-25.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.83 ALL 1,454

-44.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.52 ALL 1,510

30.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$54.8 ALL 4,469

-54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.07 ALL 2,045

-23.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.25 ALL 754

-56.97%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$157 ALL 12.8K

94.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,503 ALL 448.8K

10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$69.1 ALL 5,637

-15.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$51.4 ALL 4,191

-37.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$106 ALL 8,677

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$131 ALL 10.7K

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$452 ALL 36.8K

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$336 ALL 27.4K

12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$616 ALL 50.3K

37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$438 ALL 35.7K

66.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,013 ALL 164.2K

59.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,136 ALL 92.7K

20.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$617 ALL 50.3K

-0.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.52

143.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lushnje: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $452 in Lushnje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lushnje pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Lushnje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $278 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Lushnje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Lushnje. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Lushnje. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $452 in Lushnje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $59.0 in Lushnje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,197 in Lushnje – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,197 in Lushnje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lushnje. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lushnje are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Lushnje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.