Cost of Living Comparison Between Mary and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mary and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $464 in Mary versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $712 in Mary versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $960 in Mary versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Mary costs roughly 73% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mary is 66% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 TMT 38.46

$8.03 COP 25.1K

42.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 TMT 28.76

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-12.08%

Cappuccino

$8.66 TMT 29.02

$2.91 COP 9,095

197.59%

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

$12.98 TMT 43.49

$1.94 COP 6,074

569.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 TMT 4.67

$1.52 COP 4,754

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.30 TMT 47.90

$3.09 COP 9,663

362.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.25 TMT 37.68

$5.74 COP 17.9K

95.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 TMT 9.36

$1.36 COP 4,262

105.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

Eggs

$6.67 TMT 22.33

$2.87 COP 8,967

132.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TMT 7.43

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-45.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 TMT 4.83

$2.21 COP 6,917

-34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 TMT 6.56

$2.05 COP 6,396

-4.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TMT 5.60

$1.50 COP 4,700

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TMT 3.87

$1.16 COP 3,619

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.06 TMT 57.2

$3.90 COP 12.2K

337.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

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

$176 COP 550.1K

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 TMT 690

$665 COP 2.1M

-69.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Mary: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 223% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Mary vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mary wins on cost – living expenses run 270% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 223% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 216% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $464 per month in Mary versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 270% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $464 in Mary versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $464 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mary hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mary 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 Mary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 270% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.