Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lviv

For one person, living is cheaper in Lviv: $1,052 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Lviv, Ukraine
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Lviv
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$1,052
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Lviv

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Lviv actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,052 in Lviv.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Lviv $1,052

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Lviv.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Lviv $1,596

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $2,140 in Lviv.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Lviv $2,140

Living in Medellin is roughly 56% more expensive than in Lviv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Lviv is 23% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$6.70 ₴305
20.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$35.52 ₴1,617
32.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.49 ₴296
46.38%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$2.23 ₴102
34.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.37 ₴62.3
31.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.33 ₴60.6
6.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.36 ₴107
34.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$2.98 ₴136
92.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$1.22 ₴55.6
23.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$0.87 ₴39.60
173.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$1.72 ₴78.2
2.91%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$2.09 ₴95.0
38.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$8.97 ₴408
13.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$4.74 ₴216
108.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$7.48 ₴341
87.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$1.32 ₴60.3
200.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$1.59 ₴72.4
-2.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$1.70 ₴77.2
28.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$2.48 ₴113
-12.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$0.81 ₴36.73
141.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$0.53 ₴24.00
200.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$1.52 ₴69.1
-24.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.56 ₴25.68
121.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$3.15 ₴143
25.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$6.63 ₴302
106.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$0.91 ₴41.21
82.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$1.61 ₴73.1
40.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$0.53 ₴24.20
120.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$19.67 ₴895
293.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$2.86 ₴130
-55.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$0.32 ₴14.37
540.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$4.10 ₴186
108.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$1.73 ₴78.9
-21.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$31.0K ₴1.4M
9.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$24.3K ₴1.1M
42.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$84.4 ₴3,843
100.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$5.95 ₴271
127.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$7.46 ₴339
276.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$29.30 ₴1,334
49.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$13.91 ₴634
23.58%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$4.92 ₴224
40.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$334 ₴15.2K
138.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,023 ₴319.7K
29.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$86.5 ₴3,937
-2.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$42.20 ₴1,921
37.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$94.5 ₴4,301
42.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$97.9 ₴4,458
-0.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$590 ₴26.9K
104.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$435 ₴19.8K
47.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,088 ₴49.6K
86.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$718 ₴32.7K
40.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$2,025 ₴92.2K
105.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,295 ₴58.9K
47.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Lviv
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$636 ₴29.0K
3.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
14.67
-25.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lviv: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Lviv
$435 32.3% $207
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Lviv
$182 38.8% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Lviv
$98 53.7% $113
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Lviv
$128 24.3% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Lviv
$144 14.5% $25
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Lviv
$26 72% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Lviv
$39 32% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $590 in Lviv. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 3% 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: $47 in Medellin vs $36 in Lviv for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $182 per month, with Lviv cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇺🇦 Lviv
🕒 Local time
19:58 7:58 PM
02:58 2:58 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
728,350
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 45.53 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 50.84 UAH (100 UAH = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Lviv 10,160 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Lviv

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lviv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Lviv?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,052 in Lviv, so Lviv is about 36% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Lviv?
Average pay runs 3% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Lviv?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $590 in Lviv. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Lviv?
Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $334 in Lviv. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How far does $2,000 go in Medellin compared to Lviv?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Lviv gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Where should families live: Medellin or Lviv?
For families, Lviv is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Lviv?
Expats usually find Lviv gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?