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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,023 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,709 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,395 in Bel Air.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1% more expensive than Bel Air, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bel Air 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.72 MUR 314

-11.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$43.62 MUR 2,041

-24.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.31 MUR 342

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.13 MUR 52.8

50.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.04 MUR 48.47

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.56 MUR 26.35

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.68 MUR 78.4

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.21 MUR 150

-3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.64 MUR 76.9

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.71 MUR 33.33

76.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.27 MUR 59.5

9.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.31 MUR 108

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.68 MUR 546

-62.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.12 MUR 286

-4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.70 MUR 594

-30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.97 MUR 92.2

13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.96 MUR 91.6

-44.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.50 MUR 70.4

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.62 MUR 123

-47.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.03 MUR 48.11

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.92 MUR 43.19

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.78 MUR 36.58

8.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.76 MUR 35.72

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.76 MUR 316

-65.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.61 MUR 403

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.72 MUR 80.6

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 MUR 100

10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.04 MUR 48.61

-24.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.48 MUR 210

-67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.64 MUR 123

-27.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$19.76 MUR 924

-59.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-35.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-49.31%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

-6.17%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$50.4 MUR 2,356

66.75%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.45 MUR 863

-47.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$33.73 MUR 1,578

-28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.42 MUR 1,798

-32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.07 MUR 284

-35.42%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$153 MUR 7,159

100.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,956 MUR 185.1K

49.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$86.4 MUR 4,042

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$80.2 MUR 3,755

-60.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$131 MUR 6,147

-23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$95.7 MUR 4,477

11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$512 MUR 24.0K

-4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$355 MUR 16.6K

3.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$950 MUR 44.5K

-13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$719 MUR 33.7K

-0.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $512 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Bel Air for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 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

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

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,534 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: $487 in Medellin versus $512 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,023 in Bel Air – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Bel Air versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bel Air but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Air the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bel Air delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bel Air 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 Bel Air gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.