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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,059 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,704 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,350 in Bel Air.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bel Air 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.80 MUR 318

-13.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.54 MUR 2,086

-26.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.01 MUR 328

5.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.13 MUR 53.0

46.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.00 MUR 46.94

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.56 MUR 26.03

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.61 MUR 75.3

6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.35 MUR 157

-5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.70 MUR 79.5

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.65 MUR 30.55

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.33 MUR 62.1

3.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.26 MUR 106

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.09 MUR 566

-62.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.01 MUR 282

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.40 MUR 581

-27.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.00 MUR 93.7

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.02 MUR 94.4

-47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.43 MUR 67.1

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.99 MUR 46.60

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.00 MUR 47.03

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.81 MUR 37.74

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.80 MUR 37.65

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.57 MUR 308

-66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.28 MUR 388

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.73 MUR 80.9

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.26 MUR 106

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.03 MUR 48.32

-17.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.38 MUR 205

-67.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.61 MUR 122

-25.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.94 MUR 934

-60.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.40 MUR 65.6

-29.29%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-51.22%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-5.42%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$48.67 MUR 2,280

70.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.13 MUR 849

-46.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$34.21 MUR 1,602

-31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.64 MUR 1,810

-34.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.11 MUR 286

-35.35%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$155 MUR 7,278

103.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,926 MUR 183.9K

52.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$83.9 MUR 3,928

-28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$80.9 MUR 3,791

-60.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$134 MUR 6,277

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$93.9 MUR 4,400

14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$516 MUR 24.2K

-8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$358 MUR 16.8K

4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$940 MUR 44.0K

-9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$733 MUR 34.3K

-1.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $516 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $45.00 in Bel Air for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $230 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 6% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $1,588 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: $475 in Medellin versus $516 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Bel Air. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,059 in Bel Air – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,059 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 $1,003 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 6% less than in Bel Air. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.