Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahé and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,765 in Mahé, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Mahé

🇸🇨 Seychelles

$1,765

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahé and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mahé and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,765 in Mahé versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Mahé $1,765
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,574 in Mahé versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Mahé $2,574
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,384 in Mahé versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Mahé $3,384
Medellin $3,186

Living in Mahé is roughly 8% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahé 30% above, Medellin 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 SCR 252

$8.09 COP 26.1K

118.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 SCR 1,516

$47.05 COP 151.9K

125.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 SCR 78.6

$9.50 COP 30.7K

-42.11%

Cappuccino

$6.55 SCR 93.6

$3.01 COP 9,735

117.61%

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

$1.60 SCR 22.87

$1.80 COP 5,809

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.66 SCR 181

$3.18 COP 10.3K

298.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 SCR 128

$5.75 COP 18.6K

56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SCR 22.75

$1.51 COP 4,876

5.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 SCR 15.28

$2.38 COP 7,678

-55.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 SCR 24.96

$1.77 COP 5,720

-1.13%

Eggs

$4.25 SCR 60.8

$2.89 COP 9,333

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 SCR 227

$10.19 COP 32.9K

55.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 SCR 115

$9.87 COP 31.9K

-18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 SCR 180

$13.99 COP 45.2K

-10.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.43

$3.97 COP 12.8K

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 SCR 34.19

$2.18 COP 7,048

9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 SCR 89.5

$2.18 COP 7,051

187.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SCR 15.47

$1.96 COP 6,337

-44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 SCR 15.60

$1.59 COP 5,132

-31.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 SCR 15.40

$1.15 COP 3,699

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 SCR 198

$3.96 COP 12.8K

250.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SCR 30.74

$2.26 COP 7,291

-4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 SCR 10.88

$1.17 COP 3,771

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.96 SCR 500

$77.4 COP 249.8K

-54.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.16 SCR 202

$8.55 COP 27.6K

65.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 SCR 20.88

$1.35 COP 4,349

8.15%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

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

$49.91 SCR 714

$170 COP 547.8K

-70.58%

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

$20.85 SCR 298

$13.55 COP 43.8K

53.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 SCR 1,536

$28.07 COP 90.6K

282.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 SCR 760

$43.70 COP 141.1K

21.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 SCR 91.6

$6.91 COP 22.3K

-7.38%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.31 SCR 433

$84.7 COP 273.5K

-64.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.99 SCR 171

$58.0 COP 187.2K

-79.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.74 SCR 682

$135 COP 435.8K

-64.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 SCR 858

$97.9 COP 316.0K

-38.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 SCR 12.2K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 SCR 12.1K

$642 COP 2.1M

32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 SCR 25.7K

$2,028 COP 6.5M

-11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 SCR 15.1K

$1,012 COP 3.3M

4.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 SCR 12.4K

$657 COP 2.1M

31.57%

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 Mahé: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mahé

–

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Groceries & Markets

Mahé

–

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahé

–

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Eating Out

Mahé

–

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Mahé

–

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Getting Around

Mahé

–

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Mahé

–

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Mahé and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahé pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $106 in Mahé vs $47 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $297, with Mahé cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇸🇨 Mahé

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

06:24 6:24 AM

21:24 9:24 PM

9 h behind Mahé

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,539

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Seychellois Rupee SCR ₨

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 SCR = 7 USD

100 SCR = 6.27 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to SCR – Seychellois Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇨 Seychellois Rupee (₨)

Seychellois Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 14.3 SCR (100 SCR = 7 USD). 1 EUR = 15.96 SCR (100 SCR = 6.27 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD to SCR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mahé Medellin 14,600 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Mahé
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mahé vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Mahé. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Mahé, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $856 in Mahé versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahé pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $1,765 per month in Mahé versus $1,639 in Medellin – Medellin is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Mahé on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.