Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bel Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bel Air

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,024 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,704 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,384 in Bel Air.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 1% less than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bel Air 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.77 MUR 319

-12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$43.15 MUR 2,032

-22.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.04 MUR 331

2.70%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.07 MUR 50.5

52.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.02 MUR 48.09

6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.57 MUR 26.70

28.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.62 MUR 76.2

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.29 MUR 155

-1.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.68 MUR 79.0

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.71 MUR 33.40

81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.32 MUR 62.2

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.27 MUR 107

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.09 MUR 569

-64.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.16 MUR 290

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.62 MUR 594

-31.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.00 MUR 94.4

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.95 MUR 91.7

-45.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.44 MUR 67.8

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.72 MUR 128

-47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.98 MUR 46.16

19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.98 MUR 46.15

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.85 MUR 40.16

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.76 MUR 35.80

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.44 MUR 303

-65.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.41 MUR 396

31.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.73 MUR 81.4

-34.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.22 MUR 105

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.00 MUR 46.89

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.53 MUR 213

-68.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.71 MUR 128

-29.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.43 MUR 915

-60.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-27.86%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-51.23%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-6.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$49.86 MUR 2,348

67.83%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.10 MUR 852

-47.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$34.01 MUR 1,602

-29.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$38.76 MUR 1,825

-34.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.10 MUR 287

-32.79%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$156 MUR 7,364

99.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,956 MUR 186.3K

51.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$85.9 MUR 4,045

-32.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$81.0 MUR 3,815

-59.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$130 MUR 6,105

-23.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$94.0 MUR 4,425

15.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$518 MUR 24.4K

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$348 MUR 16.4K

9.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$954 MUR 44.9K

-12.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$724 MUR 34.1K

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $518 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $43.00 in Bel Air for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $232 per month, with Medellin 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 Bel Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Bel Air. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,536 in Bel Air 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $518 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Bel Air. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,024 in Bel Air – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,024 in Bel Air, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bel Air. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bel Air are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Bel Air. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.