Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,783 in Mahe versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,656 in Mahe versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,529 in Mahe versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Mahe is roughly 6% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 30% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.46 SCR 267

$8.02 COP 25.0K

130.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 SCR 1,602

$47.87 COP 149.4K

131.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 SCR 83.4

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-41.66%

Cappuccino

$6.52 SCR 94.3

$3.13 COP 9,767

108.31%

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

$1.64 SCR 23.70

$1.91 COP 5,954

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.26 SCR 192

$3.12 COP 9,747

325.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SCR 133

$5.75 COP 17.9K

59.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SCR 22.74

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 SCR 16.14

$2.49 COP 7,759

-55.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 SCR 26.34

$1.77 COP 5,535

2.82%

Eggs

$4.34 SCR 62.8

$2.96 COP 9,235

46.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 SCR 232

$10.07 COP 31.4K

59.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 SCR 117

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 SCR 188

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SCR 31.09

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-48.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 SCR 35.70

$2.25 COP 7,007

9.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 SCR 95.0

$2.25 COP 7,028

192.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SCR 16.02

$2.04 COP 6,375

-45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 SCR 16.10

$1.54 COP 4,790

-27.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SCR 16.15

$1.17 COP 3,651

-4.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 SCR 210

$3.90 COP 12.2K

272.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SCR 31.87

$2.87 COP 8,956

-23.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.72

$1.22 COP 3,792

-33.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.96 SCR 534

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-54.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 SCR 213

$8.71 COP 27.2K

69.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 SCR 22.60

$1.37 COP 4,260

13.87%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$51.7 SCR 747

$177 COP 553.2K

-70.85%

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

$22.10 SCR 320

$13.88 COP 43.3K

59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 SCR 1,571

$29.72 COP 92.8K

265.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 SCR 789

$44.88 COP 140.1K

21.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 SCR 97.2

$6.65 COP 20.7K

1.05%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.75 SCR 445

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-65.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.52 SCR 181

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-78.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.08 SCR 710

$138 COP 431.2K

-64.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 SCR 884

$102 COP 318.7K

-40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SCR 12.7K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SCR 12.7K

$663 COP 2.1M

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 SCR 25.8K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-5.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SCR 16.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 SCR 12.4K

$678 COP 2.1M

26.16%

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 Mahe: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Mahe and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $111 in Mahe vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $305, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mahe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Mahe. 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 26% higher in Mahe, 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: $880 in Mahe versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,783 per month in Mahe versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,783 in Mahe, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mahe. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mahe and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.