Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baie du Tombeau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baie du Tombeau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $637 in Baie du Tombeau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,065 in Baie du Tombeau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,494 in Baie du Tombeau.

Living in Medellin is roughly 164% more expensive than in Baie du Tombeau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Baie du Tombeau is 53% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02 COP 25.0K
$4.28 MUR 202
87.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.87 COP 149.4K
$31.59 MUR 1,489
51.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 COP 30.8K
$6.43 MUR 303
53.81%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 9,767
$2.57 MUR 121
21.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 COP 5,954
$1.03 MUR 48.50
85.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 COP 4,712
$0.81 MUR 38.11
86.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 COP 9,747
$1.95 MUR 91.9
60.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 17.9K
$1.26 MUR 59.2
356.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,509
$1.58 MUR 74.3
-8.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 7,759
$0.19 MUR 9.06
1210.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,535
$2.95 MUR 139
-40.00%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,235
$2.58 MUR 122
14.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 COP 31.4K
$12.56 MUR 592
-19.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.12 COP 31.6K
$7.46 MUR 352
35.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.30 COP 44.6K
$10.77 MUR 508
32.78%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 COP 12.9K
$2.14 MUR 101
93.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 COP 5,019
$2.11 MUR 99.3
-23.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,007
$2.48 MUR 117
-9.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,028
$1.65 MUR 77.9
36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 COP 6,375
$1.08 MUR 51.0
88.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 COP 4,790
$1.04 MUR 48.84
48.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,651
$1.03 MUR 48.57
13.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 COP 4,077
$0.84 MUR 39.58
55.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 COP 12.2K
$6.27 MUR 295
-37.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.7K
$6.55 MUR 309
113.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 COP 5,439
$1.96 MUR 92.3
-11.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 COP 8,956
$2.08 MUR 98.2
37.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 COP 3,792
$0.67 MUR 31.47
82.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.5 COP 251.1K
$27.62 MUR 1,302
191.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,084
$2.06 MUR 97.1
-36.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 COP 6,825
$3.09 MUR 145
-29.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 COP 27.2K
$21.06 MUR 993
-58.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,260
$1.41 MUR 66.7
-2.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 86.9M
$31.4K MUR 1.5M
-11.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K COP 111.6M
$31.6K MUR 1.5M
13.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 COP 553.2K
$21.04 MUR 992
742.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.88 COP 43.3K
$8.47 MUR 399
63.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.72 COP 92.8K
$25.49 MUR 1,201
16.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.88 COP 140.1K
$32.38 MUR 1,526
38.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.12 COP 53.4K
$6.35 MUR 299
169.61%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.7K
$5.35 MUR 252
24.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$813 COP 2.5M
$64.0 MUR 3,014
1171.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,187 COP 28.7M
$2,135 MUR 100.6K
330.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.5 COP 279.3K
$41.82 MUR 1,971
113.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.0 COP 184.0K
$32.32 MUR 1,523
82.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 431.2K
$64.2 MUR 3,025
115.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 318.7K
$64.2 MUR 3,023
59.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 COP 3.3M
$107 MUR 5,020
897.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 COP 2.1M
$62.8 MUR 2,961
955.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,888 COP 5.9M
$215 MUR 10.1K
778.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 COP 3.2M
$147 MUR 6,930
598.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,183 COP 13.1M
$5,401 MUR 254.5K
-22.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,675 COP 5.2M
$4,200 MUR 197.9K
-60.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Baie du Tombeau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$678 COP 2.1M
$646 MUR 30.4K
4.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.12
78.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $107 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $32.00 in Baie du Tombeau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $235 per month, with Baie du Tombeau 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
Medellin vs Baie du Tombeau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baie du Tombeau cheaper than Medellin?
Baie du Tombeau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Baie du Tombeau?
Average pay runs 5% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Baie du Tombeau?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $107 in Baie du Tombeau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Baie du Tombeau?
All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $637 in Baie du Tombeau – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Baie du Tombeau runs roughly 191% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Baie du Tombeau?
At $637 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baie du Tombeau but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baie du Tombeau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Baie du Tombeau more family-friendly?
For families, Baie du Tombeau is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Baie du Tombeau?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Baie du Tombeau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Baie du Tombeau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities