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: $919 in Marabella versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Marabella versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,348 in Marabella versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Marabella costs roughly 10% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marabella 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 71.3

$5.95 COP 20.8K

77.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 592

$33.33 COP 116.3K

162.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 TTD 48.56

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$3.73 TTD 25.25

$1.63 COP 5,687

128.83%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.11

$1.09 COP 3,821

-3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.49

$0.73 COP 2,548

10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.40

$1.74 COP 6,065

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 TTD 21.38

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.15

$1.05 COP 3,662

155.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.07

$1.29 COP 4,515

118.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 TTD 17.98

$1.32 COP 4,617

101.52%

Eggs

$5.12 TTD 34.62

$2.27 COP 7,927

125.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 54.0

$4.35 COP 15.2K

83.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 TTD 71.4

$5.88 COP 20.5K

79.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 TTD 95.5

$8.61 COP 30.0K

64.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.15

$2.25 COP 7,844

157.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 TTD 17.50

$1.07 COP 3,733

142.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 TTD 28.32

$1.52 COP 5,322

175.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.61

$1.42 COP 4,964

229.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.58

$1.17 COP 4,084

21.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 TTD 11.55

$1.17 COP 4,077

46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.78

$0.89 COP 3,096

112.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 TTD 9.88

$0.90 COP 3,146

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 TTD 39.51

$2.25 COP 7,837

159.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 TTD 125

$11.04 COP 38.5K

67.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.89

$1.14 COP 3,977

92.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TTD 18.50

$2.38 COP 8,301

15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.15

$1.41 COP 4,912

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 TTD 8.59

$1.90 COP 6,634

-33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 TTD 100

$7.75 COP 27.0K

90.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 TTD 7.41

$1.01 COP 3,509

8.91%

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

$33.4K TTD 225.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

89.79%

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

$38.4K TTD 259.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

45.09%

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

$79.5 TTD 538

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-4.96%

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

$46.75 TTD 316

$9.45 COP 33.0K

394.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.7 TTD 417

$24.11 COP 84.1K

155.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 TTD 67.6

$4.10 COP 14.3K

143.66%

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

$331 TTD 2,237

$312 COP 1.1M

6.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,219 TTD 48.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 TTD 395

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.37 TTD 259

$32.56 COP 113.6K

17.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 983

$99.6 COP 347.7K

45.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 882

$109 COP 378.8K

20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

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)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $88.0 in Marabella vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 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

Marabella vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marabella and Medellin differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($919 vs $1,017 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,379 in Marabella and $1,525 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 98% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $919 per month in Marabella versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $919 in Marabella versus $1,017 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.