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: $681 in Maseru versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Maseru versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,515 in Maseru versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Maseru costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maseru 49% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 LSL 183

$5.99 COP 21.4K

87.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LSL 404

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-24.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 LSL 179

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.58%

Cappuccino

$1.76 LSL 28.62

$1.71 COP 6,115

2.92%

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

$1.32 LSL 21.60

$1.10 COP 3,924

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 LSL 12.21

$0.78 COP 2,781

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 LSL 31.73

$1.68 COP 5,997

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LSL 36.13

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LSL 16.19

$1.09 COP 3,906

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 LSL 11.61

$1.26 COP 4,508

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 LSL 35.55

$1.38 COP 4,922

57.97%

Eggs

$1.37 LSL 22.41

$2.19 COP 7,827

-37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 LSL 117

$4.40 COP 15.7K

62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 LSL 90.6

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.71 LSL 93.0

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 LSL 27.14

$2.34 COP 8,349

-29.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 LSL 34.27

$1.06 COP 3,777

98.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 LSL 41.31

$1.50 COP 5,374

68.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 LSL 35.52

$1.38 COP 4,924

57.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 LSL 24.23

$1.15 COP 4,111

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 LSL 24.67

$1.16 COP 4,155

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 LSL 22.26

$0.89 COP 3,182

53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 LSL 12.77

$0.84 COP 2,997

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 LSL 79.1

$2.28 COP 8,145

112.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 LSL 118

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-31.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 LSL 15.70

$1.20 COP 4,284

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 LSL 23.44

$2.47 COP 8,824

-41.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 LSL 11.37

$0.86 COP 3,056

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 LSL 458

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-32.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 LSL 10.51

$1.47 COP 5,264

-56.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 LSL 10.01

$1.96 COP 7,009

-68.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 LSL 164

$7.74 COP 27.6K

29.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 LSL 18.63

$0.95 COP 3,409

20.00%

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

$20.0K LSL 325.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

10.13%

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

$15.3K LSL 249.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-42.13%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$13.60 LSL 222

$9.50 COP 33.9K

43.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.41 LSL 512

$24.23 COP 86.5K

29.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 LSL 353

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-16.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$48.66 LSL 793

$309 COP 1.1M

-84.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,124 LSL 18.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-81.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 LSL 714

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 LSL 638

$32.35 COP 115.5K

21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 LSL 1,611

$103 COP 366.4K

-3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 LSL 2,268

$108 COP 387.2K

28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 LSL 2,279

$476 COP 1.7M

-70.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.5 LSL 1,181

$379 COP 1.4M

-80.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 LSL 6,458

$838 COP 3.0M

-52.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 LSL 2,561

$724 COP 2.6M

-78.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$386 LSL 6,296

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-86.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 LSL 8,605

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-56.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 LSL 10.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

25.55%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $140 in Maseru and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 26% 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 $184 vs $188 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 49% in total monthly costs ($681 vs $1,013 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Maseru pays 26% more on average, 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: $140 in Maseru versus $476 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 $681 per month in Maseru versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Maseru versus $1,013 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 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.