Cost of Living Comparison Between Benares and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Benares and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $987 per month in Benares vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $2,212 per month in Benares vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Benares is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Benares and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Benares 26% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 MUR 312

$6.16 COP 20.1K

7.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.59 MUR 2,095

$32.60 COP 106.1K

36.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MUR 306

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-11.31%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MUR 126

$1.72 COP 5,600

55.81%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.27

$1.05 COP 3,420

-3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.71

$0.77 COP 2,515

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MUR 98.5

$1.69 COP 5,488

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MUR 130

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MUR 70.1

$1.05 COP 3,423

41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.14

$1.30 COP 4,236

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.7

$1.40 COP 4,544

-6.43%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 105

$2.16 COP 7,047

3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 MUR 475

$4.39 COP 14.3K

130.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 MUR 290

$5.88 COP 19.1K

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 MUR 497

$8.64 COP 28.1K

22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 MUR 97.0

$2.28 COP 7,426

-9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.8

$1.11 COP 3,604

77.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MUR 67.3

$1.53 COP 4,983

-6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MUR 122

$1.35 COP 4,410

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.64

$1.13 COP 3,674

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.18

$1.13 COP 3,692

-13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 MUR 39.18

$0.85 COP 2,753

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.51

$0.91 COP 2,975

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 MUR 279

$2.34 COP 7,630

153.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 MUR 405

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 80.6

$1.20 COP 3,909

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MUR 98.6

$2.49 COP 8,104

-15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.27

$0.84 COP 2,728

20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 212

$1.42 COP 4,623

217.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 128

$1.92 COP 6,235

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.70 MUR 737

$7.66 COP 24.9K

104.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.7

$0.99 COP 3,223

41.41%

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

$35.2K MUR 1.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

95.01%

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

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

8.77%

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

$49.88 MUR 2,343

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-38.27%

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

$18.53 MUR 871

$9.95 COP 32.4K

86.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.73 MUR 1,538

$24.18 COP 78.7K

35.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.90 MUR 1,780

$25.08 COP 81.7K

51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 MUR 287

$3.98 COP 13.0K

53.52%

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

$155 MUR 7,283

$305 COP 993.5K

-49.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,916 MUR 184.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-35.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 MUR 2,348

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MUR 2,042

$32.20 COP 104.8K

34.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 MUR 3,946

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 MUR 3,677

$108 COP 350.8K

-27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MUR 23.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.8K

$376 COP 1.2M

-5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 MUR 43.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 MUR 33.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-1.42%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

13.43

-53.46%

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

Last update for Benares: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Benares 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Benares versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 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

Benares vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $987 in Benares, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 4% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,480 per month in Benares 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 Benares, 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 $45.00 in Benares and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $987 in Benares to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Benares. 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.