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: $1,773 in Mahe versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,452 in Mahe versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,131 in Mahe versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mahe is roughly 74% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahe is 32% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.32 SCR 221

$5.95 COP 20.8K

157.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 SCR 1,015

$33.33 COP 116.3K

110.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SCR 114

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.85%

Cappuccino

$4.31 SCR 62.2

$1.63 COP 5,687

164.42%

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

$2.32 SCR 33.57

$1.09 COP 3,821

112.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SCR 25.46

$0.73 COP 2,548

141.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 SCR 121

$1.74 COP 6,065

382.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 SCR 75.9

$3.23 COP 11.3K

62.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SCR 22.09

$1.05 COP 3,662

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SCR 15.86

$1.29 COP 4,515

-14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SCR 25.50

$1.32 COP 4,617

34.09%

Eggs

$4.16 SCR 60.1

$2.27 COP 7,927

83.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 SCR 221

$4.35 COP 15.2K

251.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 SCR 111

$5.88 COP 20.5K

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 SCR 181

$8.61 COP 30.0K

45.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SCR 30.19

$2.25 COP 7,844

-7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SCR 33.45

$1.52 COP 5,322

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 SCR 75.5

$1.42 COP 4,964

268.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.85

$1.17 COP 4,084

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 SCR 13.48

$1.17 COP 4,077

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SCR 15.29

$0.89 COP 3,096

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.35 SCR 178

$2.25 COP 7,837

448.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SCR 30.49

$1.14 COP 3,977

85.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SCR 30.94

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 SCR 11.79

$0.84 COP 2,916

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 SCR 347

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-42.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 SCR 151

$1.41 COP 4,912

639.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 SCR 43.97

$1.90 COP 6,634

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 SCR 148

$7.75 COP 27.0K

32.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 SCR 22.39

$1.01 COP 3,509

53.47%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$81.7 SCR 1,180

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-2.34%

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

$20.89 SCR 302

$9.45 COP 33.0K

121.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 SCR 2,375

$24.11 COP 84.1K

582.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 SCR 767

$25.31 COP 88.3K

109.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 SCR 88.6

$4.10 COP 14.3K

49.51%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.01 SCR 390

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-53.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.18 SCR 161

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-65.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.57 SCR 644

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-55.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 SCR 779

$109 COP 378.8K

-50.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SCR 12.2K

$482 COP 1.7M

75.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SCR 12.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

123.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 SCR 24.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

104.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SCR 14.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

41.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 SCR 12.7K

$541 COP 1.9M

62.26%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Mahe and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 62% 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 $242 vs $190 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 74% 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.

Mahe pays 62% more on average, 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 $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Mahe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,773 per month in Mahe versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,773 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 $1,017 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 74% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.