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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,506 per month in Matera vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,274 per month in Matera vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,041 per month in Matera vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Matera costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Matera sits 13% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 €12.20

$6.16 COP 20.1K

126.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 €61.4

$32.60 COP 106.1K

114.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 €10.06

$7.34 COP 23.9K

56.40%

Cappuccino

$2.05 €1.79

$1.72 COP 5,599

19.19%

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

$2.15 €1.88

$1.05 COP 3,420

104.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.77 COP 2,515

44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 €4.10

$1.69 COP 5,487

176.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.16

$3.17 COP 10.3K

49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.05 COP 3,423

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.30 COP 4,236

35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 €2.55

$1.40 COP 4,544

107.86%

Eggs

$3.81 €3.34

$2.16 COP 7,046

76.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.89 €13.04

$4.39 COP 14.3K

239.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 €8.95

$5.88 COP 19.1K

73.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 €14.37

$8.64 COP 28.1K

89.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 €2.54

$2.28 COP 7,425

27.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.11 COP 3,603

99.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.53 COP 4,982

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.20

$1.35 COP 4,410

170.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.13 COP 3,674

76.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.13 COP 3,692

49.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.31

$0.85 COP 2,753

75.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 €0.43

$0.91 COP 2,975

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.94

$2.34 COP 7,629

189.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 €6.63

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-38.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 €2.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

125.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.91

$2.49 COP 8,104

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.49

$0.84 COP 2,727

102.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.73 €38.30

$40.57 COP 132.1K

7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 €5.04

$1.42 COP 4,623

305.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.92 COP 6,235

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.36 €30.97

$7.66 COP 24.9K

361.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.77

$0.99 COP 3,223

104.04%

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

$35.9K €31.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

98.97%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

32.05%

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

$174 €152

$80.8 COP 263.1K

115.27%

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

$13.04 €11.42

$9.95 COP 32.4K

31.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 €29.70

$24.18 COP 78.7K

40.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 €48.23

$25.08 COP 81.6K

119.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.96 €20.11

$19.15 COP 62.3K

19.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 €10.10

$3.98 COP 13.0K

189.70%

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

$390 €342

$305 COP 993.4K

27.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 €5,414

$6,059 COP 19.7M

2.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 €80.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

57.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.28 €37.90

$32.20 COP 104.8K

34.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.9

$101 COP 327.9K

1.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 €129

$108 COP 350.8K

37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 €553

$477 COP 1.6M

32.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 €375

$376 COP 1.2M

13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 €822

$845 COP 2.7M

11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 €584

$730 COP 2.4M

-8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 €2,404

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-14.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,221 €2,821

$1,372 COP 4.5M

134.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,778 €1,557

$617 COP 2.0M

188.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

13.43

-69.92%

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

Last update for Matera: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $632 in Matera versus $477 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 188% higher in Matera, 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 $70.0 in Matera versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $193 – 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

Matera costs about 46% 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 $2,259 per month in Matera and $1,546 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.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Matera and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Matera at $1,506. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Matera it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,506 in Matera. 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, Matera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.