Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,912 per month in Marsa vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,158 per month in Marsa vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,404 per month in Marsa vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Marsa costs about 73% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Marsa and Medellin sit above the global median – Marsa by 113%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 €17.63

$8.02 COP 25.3K

152.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 €77.2

$47.87 COP 151.0K

85.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.94 €12.15

$9.89 COP 31.2K

40.95%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.41

$3.13 COP 9,873

-11.82%

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

$2.25 €1.96

$1.91 COP 6,019

17.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.99

$1.51 COP 4,763

51.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 €4.12

$3.12 COP 9,853

51.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.25

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-55.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.44 COP 4,558

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.49 COP 7,843

-46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 €3.87

$1.77 COP 5,595

150.85%

Eggs

$4.43 €3.86

$2.96 COP 9,336

49.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 €7.44

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-15.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 €9.57

$10.12 COP 31.9K

8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 €16.20

$14.30 COP 45.1K

30.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 €3.82

$4.14 COP 13.0K

6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$1.61 COP 5,073

80.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 €3.30

$2.25 COP 7,083

68.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 €3.10

$2.25 COP 7,104

58.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.25

$2.04 COP 6,444

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.54 COP 4,842

31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 €2.04

$1.17 COP 3,691

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.31 COP 4,121

0.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 €6.15

$3.90 COP 12.3K

81.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 €7.15

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.74 COP 5,498

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.13

$2.87 COP 9,053

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 €5.01

$1.31 COP 4,129

338.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.04

$2.19 COP 6,899

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.04 €24.43

$8.71 COP 27.5K

221.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.37 COP 4,306

15.33%

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

$38.6K €33.6K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

38.70%

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

$39.9K €34.8K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

11.62%

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

$105 €91.3

$177 COP 559.3K

-40.89%

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

$26.80 €23.35

$13.88 COP 43.8K

93.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.77 €39.00

$29.72 COP 93.8K

50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 €9.11

$6.65 COP 21.0K

57.14%

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

$380 €331

$813 COP 2.6M

-53.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €9,905

$9,187 COP 29.0M

23.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 €79.1

$89.5 COP 282.3K

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.29 €36.85

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.1

$138 COP 435.9K

-25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 €71.8

$102 COP 322.1K

-19.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 €2,204

$1,062 COP 3.3M

138.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 €1,690

$663 COP 2.1M

192.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 €2,025

$1,888 COP 6.0M

23.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,861 €2,492

$1,027 COP 3.2M

178.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,240 €2,822

$678 COP 2.1M

378.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

10.94

-73.49%

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

Last update for Marsa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,529 in Marsa versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 378% higher in Marsa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Marsa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Marsa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsa is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,368 per month in Marsa and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,912 in Marsa and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $380 per month in Marsa and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Marsa at $2,912. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marsa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.