Cost of Living Comparison Between Marseille and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marseille and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,031 per month in Marseille vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,272 per month in Marseille vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,513 per month in Marseille vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Marseille costs about 18% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Marseille and Medellin sit above the global median – Marseille by 48%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.13

$8.03 COP 25.0K

133.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 €65.1

$48.26 COP 150.6K

56.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.79 €11.86

$9.77 COP 30.5K

41.15%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.15

$2.91 COP 9,085

26.12%

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

$3.74 €3.22

$1.94 COP 6,067

92.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.52 COP 4,749

42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.78 €5.83

$3.09 COP 9,653

119.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 €6.09

$5.74 COP 17.9K

23.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.36 COP 4,257

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.39 COP 7,452

23.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 €2.75

$1.70 COP 5,308

88.24%

Eggs

$4.60 €3.96

$2.87 COP 8,957

60.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.68 €22.08

$9.94 COP 31.0K

158.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 €13.48

$10.78 COP 33.7K

45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.24 €24.28

$14.73 COP 46.0K

91.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 €3.30

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-6.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 €2.25

$1.57 COP 4,906

66.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 €3.75

$2.13 COP 6,635

104.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 €3.65

$2.21 COP 6,910

92.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.05 COP 6,389

45.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.50 COP 4,695

71.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.19 COP 3,714

81.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.16 COP 3,615

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.88 €11.94

$3.90 COP 12.2K

255.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 €7.94

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$1.58 COP 4,943

159.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 €3.53

$2.83 COP 8,826

44.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.17 COP 3,646

82.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.28 €39.80

$77.7 COP 242.6K

-40.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 €5.07

$1.28 COP 4,009

360.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 €3.01

$2.09 COP 6,530

67.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.35 €25.24

$8.62 COP 26.9K

240.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 €1.92

$1.30 COP 4,052

72.31%

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

$35.4K €30.4K

$27.7K COP 86.3M

27.93%

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

$36.6K €31.4K

$35.5K COP 110.8M

3.00%

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

$183 €158

$176 COP 549.6K

4.04%

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

$18.60 €15.99

$13.37 COP 41.7K

39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.55 €32.28

$29.89 COP 93.3K

25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.26 €34.62

$44.76 COP 139.7K

-10.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.40 €20.98

$17.06 COP 53.3K

43.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.79

$6.20 COP 19.4K

139.84%

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

$902 €775

$793 COP 2.5M

13.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K €9,136

$9,019 COP 28.2M

17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 €77.6

$85.6 COP 267.2K

5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.05

$58.5 COP 182.5K

-18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.0

$136 COP 425.4K

-18.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €112

$103 COP 321.8K

26.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 €808

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 €584

$680 COP 2.1M

-0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 €1,388

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 €1,200

$1,169 COP 3.6M

19.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,350 €4,600

$4,111 COP 12.8M

30.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,643 €3,132

$1,701 COP 5.3M

114.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,571 €2,210

$665 COP 2.1M

286.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

10.94

-64.44%

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

Last update for Marseille: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Marseille versus $1,060 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 286% higher in Marseille, 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 $76.0 in Marseille versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $303 – 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

Marseille vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marseille costs about 18% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,046 per month in Marseille and $2,574 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Marseille and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,031 in Marseille and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Marseille at $2,031. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marseille it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,716 versus $2,031 in Marseille. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Marseille makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.