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: $1,776 in Mahe versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,441 in Mahe versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,105 in Mahe versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Mahe is roughly 77% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahe is 33% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.30 SCR 221

$5.91 COP 18.6K

158.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 SCR 1,017

$32.96 COP 103.8K

113.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SCR 117

$7.43 COP 23.4K

8.88%

Cappuccino

$4.43 SCR 64.0

$1.65 COP 5,207

168.48%

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

$2.28 SCR 33.00

$1.10 COP 3,468

107.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SCR 25.17

$0.78 COP 2,458

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 SCR 119

$1.72 COP 5,412

376.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 SCR 73.5

$3.18 COP 10.0K

59.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SCR 22.82

$1.10 COP 3,474

43.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 SCR 15.27

$1.26 COP 3,962

-15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 SCR 25.48

$1.38 COP 4,349

27.54%

Eggs

$4.05 SCR 58.5

$2.18 COP 6,858

85.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 SCR 226

$4.49 COP 14.1K

247.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SCR 114

$5.79 COP 18.2K

36.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 SCR 178

$8.97 COP 28.2K

37.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 SCR 29.99

$2.32 COP 7,308

-10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 SCR 32.14

$1.52 COP 4,774

46.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 SCR 77.3

$1.36 COP 4,270

292.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 SCR 13.40

$1.13 COP 3,552

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 SCR 14.64

$1.17 COP 3,689

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SCR 14.74

$0.90 COP 2,838

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.96 SCR 173

$2.23 COP 7,034

436.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 SCR 30.81

$1.19 COP 3,743

78.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SCR 30.23

$2.48 COP 7,815

-15.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.72

$0.85 COP 2,687

-4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.10 SCR 348

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-42.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 SCR 151

$1.42 COP 4,459

633.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 SCR 45.77

$1.95 COP 6,141

62.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 SCR 151

$7.89 COP 24.8K

32.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 SCR 22.66

$0.99 COP 3,118

58.59%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$84.4 SCR 1,220

$83.0 COP 261.4K

1.69%

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

$20.61 SCR 298

$9.70 COP 30.5K

112.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 SCR 2,331

$23.52 COP 74.1K

585.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 SCR 750

$25.26 COP 79.5K

105.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 SCR 89.9

$3.95 COP 12.4K

57.47%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.85 SCR 403

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-53.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.12 SCR 161

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-65.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.53 SCR 644

$102 COP 320.1K

-56.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 SCR 803

$107 COP 338.3K

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SCR 12.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

78.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 SCR 12.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

123.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 SCR 25.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

105.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 SCR 14.9K

$719 COP 2.3M

43.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$902 SCR 13.0K

$624 COP 2.0M

44.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Mahe: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Mahe and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 44% 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: $70.0 in Mahe vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 77% 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 44% 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: $845 in Mahe versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mahe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Mahe versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,776 in Mahe, a $1,500 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 $1,003 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 77% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.