Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marabella and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Marabella versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,625 in Marabella versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,315 in Marabella versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Marabella costs roughly 7% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marabella 30% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 TTD 70.6

$5.91 COP 18.9K

76.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 TTD 602

$32.96 COP 105.2K

170.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 TTD 48.75

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.59 TTD 24.23

$1.65 COP 5,276

117.58%

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

$1.06 TTD 7.14

$1.10 COP 3,514

-3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.20

$0.78 COP 2,491

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 TTD 12.38

$1.72 COP 5,484

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.52

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 TTD 17.81

$1.10 COP 3,521

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.01

$1.26 COP 4,015

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.92

$1.38 COP 4,407

92.75%

Eggs

$5.11 TTD 34.48

$2.18 COP 6,950

134.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 TTD 52.2

$4.49 COP 14.3K

72.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 TTD 70.9

$5.79 COP 18.5K

81.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 TTD 95.5

$8.97 COP 28.6K

57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 TTD 38.34

$2.32 COP 7,405

144.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.65

$1.06 COP 3,397

147.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 TTD 28.90

$1.52 COP 4,838

181.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 TTD 31.70

$1.36 COP 4,327

245.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 9.93

$1.13 COP 3,599

30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 TTD 11.69

$1.17 COP 3,738

47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 TTD 12.67

$0.90 COP 2,876

108.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 TTD 9.41

$0.90 COP 2,861

54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 TTD 38.69

$2.23 COP 7,128

157.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 TTD 120

$12.12 COP 38.7K

47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 15.01

$1.19 COP 3,793

86.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.14

$2.48 COP 7,920

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.13

$1.42 COP 4,518

-25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.68

$1.95 COP 6,223

-33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.53 TTD 98.0

$7.89 COP 25.2K

84.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.39

$0.99 COP 3,160

11.11%

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

$34.5K TTD 233.0K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

96.21%

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

$37.8K TTD 254.7K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

40.91%

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

$81.3 TTD 548

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-2.11%

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

$47.00 TTD 317

$9.70 COP 30.9K

384.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 TTD 411

$23.52 COP 75.0K

158.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 TTD 67.1

$3.95 COP 12.6K

151.90%

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

$324 TTD 2,183

$316 COP 1.0M

2.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,122 TTD 48.0K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

19.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 406

$60.0 COP 191.4K

0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 255

$31.82 COP 101.5K

18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 986

$102 COP 324.4K

43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 852

$107 COP 342.8K

17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.43

-59.94%

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

Last update for Marabella: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $89.0 in Marabella vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 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

Marabella vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marabella and Medellin differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($935 vs $1,003 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,403 in Marabella and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 93% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $935 per month in Marabella versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Marabella versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.