Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Monrovia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Monrovia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,300 in Monrovia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,887 in Monrovia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,474 in Monrovia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Monrovia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Monrovia is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.39 LRD 1,273

8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$11.06 LRD 1,907

-10.58%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.04 LRD 524

2.96%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.94 LRD 335

-1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$2.04 LRD 351

-25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$4.04 LRD 696

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$3.02 LRD 521

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.15 LRD 370

-33.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.81 LRD 313

37.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$5.25 LRD 905

-66.29%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.68 LRD 634

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.94 LRD 1,368

26.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$11.75 LRD 2,025

-13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$13.53 LRD 2,331

5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.60 LRD 276

158.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$8.23 LRD 1,418

-80.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$10.28 LRD 1,771

-78.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$11.10 LRD 1,913

-79.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$2.17 LRD 375

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$10.77 LRD 1,856

-85.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$4.76 LRD 821

-75.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$1.99 LRD 342

-34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.12 LRD 883

-23.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.02 LRD 1,211

99.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$2.53 LRD 435

-31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$3.53 LRD 608

-18.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$3.09 LRD 532

-60.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$20.12 LRD 3,468

300.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.95 LRD 335

-32.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.81 LRD 313

20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$24.79 LRD 4,273

-64.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.27 LRD 220

7.87%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$19.7K LRD 3.4M

41.51%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$15.0K LRD 2.6M

137.78%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$149 LRD 25.8K

18.67%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$22.31 LRD 3,846

-37.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$183 LRD 31.5K

-83.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$62.8 LRD 10.8K

-28.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$10.16 LRD 1,751

68.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.86 LRD 838

36.83%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$101 LRD 17.4K

703.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,018 LRD 175.5K

802.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$24.62 LRD 4,243

263.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$32.27 LRD 5,562

82.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$54.5 LRD 9,393

153.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$93.8 LRD 16.2K

8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$255 LRD 43.9K

317.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$96.3 LRD 16.6K

588.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$653 LRD 112.5K

189.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$269 LRD 46.4K

281.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$686 LRD 118.3K

-1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $255 in Monrovia. 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 1% higher in Monrovia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,950 in Monrovia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 300% less in Monrovia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 50% 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 Monrovia, where all-in costs run around $1,300, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Monrovia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Monrovia – 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 Monrovia. 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.