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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,429 in Monrovia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,462 in Monrovia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,496 in Monrovia, rent included.

Medellin is about 28% cheaper than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Monrovia is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.64 LRD 1,378

-19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$148 LRD 26.7K

-77.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.03 LRD 1,989

-33.45%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.41 LRD 615

-49.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.02 LRD 365

-48.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.61 LRD 471

-70.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.81 LRD 507

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.96 LRD 534

7.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.09 LRD 378

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.81 LRD 326

-28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$5.18 LRD 935

-72.97%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.62 LRD 654

-40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.94 LRD 2,153

-63.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.95 LRD 2,156

-50.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$36.03 LRD 6,498

-76.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.67 LRD 302

36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$8.68 LRD 1,566

-87.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$10.12 LRD 1,825

-84.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$10.99 LRD 1,983

-87.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.26 LRD 407

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$10.57 LRD 1,907

-89.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$4.78 LRD 862

-82.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.02 LRD 365

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.01 LRD 904

-53.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.81 LRD 1,228

81.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.43 LRD 438

-50.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.30 LRD 595

-24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.09 LRD 557

-72.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.86 LRD 3,581

104.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.81 LRD 506

-49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.20 LRD 217

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.15 LRD 3,094

-55.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.22 LRD 221

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$12.3K LRD 2.2M

46.27%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$15.2K LRD 2.7M

74.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$277 LRD 50.0K

-70.84%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.94 LRD 4,138

-56.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$93.7 LRD 16.9K

-74.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$77.1 LRD 13.9K

-67.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.16 LRD 1,471

134.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.98 LRD 1,800

-60.12%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$127 LRD 22.9K

139.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$893 LRD 161.0K

578.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.30 LRD 3,301

217.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.28 LRD 6,002

-3.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$55.1 LRD 9,945

82.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.7 LRD 12.6K

54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$679 LRD 122.5K

-29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$94.7 LRD 17.1K

297.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,845 LRD 332.7K

-54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$269 LRD 48.4K

171.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$688 LRD 124.2K

-10.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $679 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 12% higher in Monrovia, 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 $148 in Monrovia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $537 – making Medellin 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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monrovia is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,143 in Monrovia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $148 in Monrovia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,429 in Monrovia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Monrovia at $1,429. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monrovia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monrovia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.