Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Maseru versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,115 in Maseru versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in Maseru versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Maseru costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maseru 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 LSL 182

$6.16 COP 20.1K

80.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 LSL 406

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-24.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 LSL 181

$7.34 COP 23.9K

50.41%

Cappuccino

$1.80 LSL 29.47

$1.72 COP 5,599

4.65%

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

$1.27 LSL 20.90

$1.05 COP 3,420

20.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LSL 13.07

$0.77 COP 2,515

3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LSL 32.62

$1.69 COP 5,487

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 LSL 36.23

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-30.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LSL 16.16

$1.05 COP 3,423

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 LSL 12.47

$1.30 COP 4,236

-41.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 LSL 36.09

$1.40 COP 4,544

57.14%

Eggs

$1.35 LSL 22.18

$2.16 COP 7,046

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 LSL 114

$4.39 COP 14.3K

57.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 LSL 92.6

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-4.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 LSL 90.8

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-35.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 LSL 26.41

$2.28 COP 7,425

-29.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 LSL 33.64

$1.11 COP 3,603

84.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 LSL 40.58

$1.53 COP 4,982

61.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 LSL 36.30

$1.35 COP 4,410

63.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 LSL 23.36

$1.13 COP 3,674

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 LSL 24.12

$1.13 COP 3,692

30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 LSL 21.61

$0.85 COP 2,753

55.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 LSL 13.90

$0.91 COP 2,975

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 LSL 80.3

$2.34 COP 7,629

108.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 LSL 116

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 LSL 16.62

$1.20 COP 3,909

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 LSL 22.54

$2.49 COP 8,104

-44.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 LSL 11.60

$0.84 COP 2,727

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.72 LSL 455

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-31.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 LSL 10.49

$1.42 COP 4,623

-54.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 LSL 10.30

$1.92 COP 6,235

-67.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 LSL 166

$7.66 COP 24.9K

32.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 LSL 18.77

$0.99 COP 3,223

15.15%

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

$19.9K LSL 325.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

10.20%

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

$15.3K LSL 251.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-42.48%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$13.53 LSL 222

$9.95 COP 32.4K

35.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 LSL 519

$24.18 COP 78.7K

30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 LSL 355

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$47.85 LSL 785

$305 COP 993.4K

-84.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,104 LSL 18.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-81.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 LSL 692

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-27.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.98 LSL 639

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 LSL 1,602

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 LSL 2,266

$108 COP 350.8K

28.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 LSL 2,338

$477 COP 1.6M

-70.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 LSL 1,174

$376 COP 1.2M

-80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 LSL 6,586

$845 COP 2.7M

-52.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 LSL 2,603

$730 COP 2.4M

-78.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$391 LSL 6,415

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-87.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$533 LSL 8,733

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-61.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 LSL 10.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

13.43

-36.71%

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

Last update for Maseru: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in Maseru and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Maseru vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $193 per month, with Maseru 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

Maseru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maseru and Medellin differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($670 vs $1,031 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Maseru, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $143 in Maseru versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $670 per month in Maseru versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Maseru versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.