Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beira Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Beira

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $380 in Beira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $725 in Beira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $1,070 in Beira.

Living in Medellin is roughly 351% more expensive than in Beira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Beira is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$12.60 MZN 796

-36.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$46.82 MZN 2,960

3.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$3.19 MZN 202

-8.78%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$1.20 MZN 75.9

61.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$1.18 MZN 74.9

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$1.30 MZN 82.1

137.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$1.99 MZN 126

188.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.60 MZN 101

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$0.30 MZN 18.94

696.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$1.57 MZN 99.4

8.28%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$1.83 MZN 116

56.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$3.82 MZN 241

182.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$4.59 MZN 290

220.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.33 MZN 147

75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$2.32 MZN 147

-32.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$2.29 MZN 145

-6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$1.23 MZN 78.0

79.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$1.23 MZN 77.9

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$0.90 MZN 56.9

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$2.29 MZN 145

-48.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.68 MZN 42.88

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$0.91 MZN 57.8

328.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$8.11 MZN 513

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$1.04 MZN 65.6

51.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$3.90 MZN 247

-27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$0.77 MZN 48.53

66.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.29 MZN 81.4

0.78%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$176 COP 554.5K

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$89.5 MZN 5,659

786.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$18.93 MZN 1,197

352.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$38.41 MZN 2,428

52.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$39.42 MZN 2,492

245.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$46.62 MZN 2,947

121.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Beira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $47.00 in Beira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $158 per month, with Beira 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 Beira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Beira differ by about 351% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $380 including rent). Beira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,574 in Medellin and $570 in Beira to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $380 in Beira – a 351% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $380 in Beira versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Beira but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Beira 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 Beira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 351% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.