Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Matera and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,499 per month in Matera vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,409 per month in Matera vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Matera vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Matera is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Matera and Medellin sit above the global median – Matera by 10%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.66 €13.65

$8.02 COP 25.0K

95.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$47.87 COP 149.4K

31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.01

$9.89 COP 30.8K

16.08%

Cappuccino

$1.87 €1.63

$3.13 COP 9,767

-40.26%

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

$2.26 €1.97

$1.91 COP 5,954

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.51 COP 4,712

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €5.10

$3.12 COP 9,747

87.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.10

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-38.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.49 COP 7,759

-29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.77 COP 5,535

83.62%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.32

$2.96 COP 9,235

28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 €14.09

$10.07 COP 31.4K

60.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.87 €11.22

$10.12 COP 31.6K

27.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.46 €18.70

$14.30 COP 44.6K

50.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-39.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.61 COP 5,019

27.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.25 COP 7,007

-47.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.25 COP 7,028

71.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 €1.57

$2.04 COP 6,375

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.54 COP 4,790

11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.17 COP 3,651

20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 €0.42

$1.31 COP 4,077

-63.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$3.90 COP 12.2K

82.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 €5.64

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-53.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.74 COP 5,439

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.87 COP 8,956

8.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.47

$1.22 COP 3,792

38.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 €18.10

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-74.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 €4.05

$1.31 COP 4,084

254.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 €1.14

$2.19 COP 6,825

-40.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 €21.02

$8.71 COP 27.2K

176.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.37 COP 4,260

51.82%

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

$38.2K €33.3K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

37.26%

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

$36.2K €31.6K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

1.29%

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

$211 €184

$177 COP 553.2K

18.74%

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

$9.63 €8.40

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-30.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.43 €28.27

$29.72 COP 92.8K

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.5

$44.88 COP 140.1K

29.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.15 €21.93

$17.12 COP 53.4K

46.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €10.04

$6.65 COP 20.7K

73.23%

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

$468 €408

$813 COP 2.5M

-42.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,263 €7,203

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 €60.9

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-21.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 €38.69

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €96.2

$138 COP 431.2K

-20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$102 COP 318.7K

26.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 €645

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 €379

$663 COP 2.1M

-34.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 €931

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-43.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 €758

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-15.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,804 €2,444

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-32.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,247 €2,830

$1,675 COP 5.2M

93.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,785 €1,556

$678 COP 2.1M

163.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

10.94

-71.76%

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

Last update for Matera: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Matera 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 163% higher in Matera, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Matera versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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

Matera vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 12% more than Matera, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,249 per month in Matera 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 Matera, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 288% less in Matera. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Matera and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matera, where all-in costs run around $1,499, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Matera it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matera costs $1,499 versus $1,681 in Medellin. 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 Matera. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.