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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,391 per month in Monrovia vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,469 per month in Monrovia vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,547 per month in Monrovia vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Monrovia costs about 37% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monrovia sits 4% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 LRD 1,329

$5.99 COP 21.4K

22.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 LRD 27.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

354.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 LRD 2,036

$7.09 COP 25.3K

57.97%

Cappuccino

$3.38 LRD 614

$1.71 COP 6,115

97.66%

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

$2.01 LRD 366

$1.10 COP 3,924

82.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 LRD 491

$0.78 COP 2,781

246.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 LRD 494

$1.68 COP 5,997

61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LRD 548

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-1.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 LRD 396

$1.09 COP 3,906

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 LRD 329

$1.26 COP 4,508

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.01 LRD 911

$1.38 COP 4,922

263.04%

Eggs

$3.61 LRD 656

$2.19 COP 7,827

64.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 LRD 2,108

$4.40 COP 15.7K

163.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 LRD 2,119

$5.63 COP 20.1K

107.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.19 LRD 6,576

$8.89 COP 31.8K

307.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 LRD 306

$2.34 COP 8,349

-27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$8.41 LRD 1,529

$1.06 COP 3,777

693.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.27 LRD 1,866

$1.50 COP 5,374

584.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.81 LRD 1,964

$1.38 COP 4,924

683.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 LRD 406

$1.15 COP 4,111

93.91%

Onion (1kg)

$10.69 LRD 1,942

$1.16 COP 4,155

821.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.70 LRD 855

$0.89 COP 3,182

428.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 LRD 354

$0.84 COP 2,997

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 LRD 904

$2.28 COP 8,145

118.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 LRD 1,260

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-34.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 LRD 449

$1.20 COP 4,284

105.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 LRD 580

$2.47 COP 8,824

29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 LRD 552

$0.86 COP 3,056

253.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 LRD 3,639

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-51.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 LRD 512

$1.47 COP 5,264

91.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 LRD 220

$1.96 COP 7,009

-38.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 LRD 3,220

$7.74 COP 27.6K

128.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 LRD 223

$0.95 COP 3,409

29.47%

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

$12.3K LRD 2.2M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-32.01%

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

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-43.83%

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

$269 LRD 48.9K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

227.11%

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

$22.55 LRD 4,097

$9.50 COP 33.9K

137.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.4 LRD 17.2K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

289.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.6 LRD 14.1K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

199.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.12 LRD 1,476

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-57.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 LRD 1,734

$3.93 COP 14.0K

142.75%

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

$130 LRD 23.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-58.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$902 LRD 163.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-84.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.64 LRD 3,387

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-68.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.24 LRD 6,040

$32.35 COP 115.5K

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

$103 COP 366.4K

-44.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 LRD 12.4K

$108 COP 387.2K

-36.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 LRD 120.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

39.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.2 LRD 17.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-75.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 LRD 332.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

118.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 LRD 49.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-62.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$705 LRD 128.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

37.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Monrovia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Monrovia versus $476 in Medellin. 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 38% 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 $149 in Monrovia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $533 vs $188 – 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

Monrovia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monrovia is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,087 per month in Monrovia and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $149 in Monrovia and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,391 in Monrovia and $1,013 in Medellin. 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 $1,013, than in Monrovia at $1,391. 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.