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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Monrovia costs about 39% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 LRD 1,378

$6.16 COP 20.1K

24.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 LRD 26.7K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

354.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 LRD 1,989

$7.34 COP 23.9K

50.27%

Cappuccino

$3.41 LRD 615

$1.72 COP 5,599

98.26%

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

$2.02 LRD 365

$1.05 COP 3,420

92.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 LRD 471

$0.77 COP 2,515

238.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 LRD 507

$1.69 COP 5,487

66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LRD 534

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 LRD 378

$1.05 COP 3,423

99.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 LRD 326

$1.30 COP 4,236

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 LRD 935

$1.40 COP 4,544

270.00%

Eggs

$3.62 LRD 654

$2.16 COP 7,046

67.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.94 LRD 2,153

$4.39 COP 14.3K

171.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 LRD 2,156

$5.88 COP 19.1K

103.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.03 LRD 6,498

$8.64 COP 28.1K

317.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 LRD 302

$2.28 COP 7,425

-26.75%

Banana (1kg)

$8.68 LRD 1,566

$1.11 COP 3,603

681.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.12 LRD 1,825

$1.53 COP 4,982

561.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.99 LRD 1,983

$1.35 COP 4,410

714.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 LRD 407

$1.13 COP 3,674

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$10.57 LRD 1,907

$1.13 COP 3,692

835.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.78 LRD 862

$0.85 COP 2,753

462.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LRD 365

$0.91 COP 2,975

121.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 LRD 904

$2.34 COP 7,629

114.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 LRD 1,228

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-44.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 LRD 438

$1.20 COP 3,909

102.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LRD 595

$2.49 COP 8,104

32.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 LRD 557

$0.84 COP 2,727

267.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 LRD 3,581

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-51.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 LRD 506

$1.42 COP 4,623

97.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 LRD 217

$1.92 COP 6,235

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.15 LRD 3,094

$7.66 COP 24.9K

123.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LRD 221

$0.99 COP 3,223

23.23%

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

$12.3K LRD 2.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-31.63%

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

$15.2K LRD 2.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-42.85%

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

$277 LRD 50.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

242.88%

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

$22.94 LRD 4,138

$9.95 COP 32.4K

130.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.7 LRD 16.9K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

287.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 LRD 13.9K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

207.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 LRD 1,471

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-57.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 LRD 1,800

$3.98 COP 13.0K

150.75%

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

$127 LRD 22.9K

$305 COP 993.4K

-58.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$893 LRD 161.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-85.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 LRD 3,301

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-68.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 LRD 6,002

$32.20 COP 104.8K

3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 LRD 9,945

$101 COP 327.9K

-45.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 LRD 12.6K

$108 COP 350.8K

-35.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 LRD 122.5K

$477 COP 1.6M

42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.7 LRD 17.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-74.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 LRD 332.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

118.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 LRD 48.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-63.23%

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)

$688 LRD 124.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

11.62%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $679 in Monrovia versus $477 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 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 $148 in Monrovia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $537 vs $193 – 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 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 $2,143 per month in Monrovia and $1,546 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 $148 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 $1,429 in Monrovia and $1,031 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 $1,031, 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.