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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $609 in Bel Air.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,009 in Bel Air.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,410 in Bel Air.

Living in Medellin is roughly 176% more expensive than in Bel Air, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bel Air is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.71 MUR 271

40.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$38.67 MUR 1,837

23.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.22 MUR 343

36.98%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.08 MUR 51.5

189.81%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.08 MUR 51.3

76.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.58 MUR 27.64

160.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.56 MUR 74.2

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.09 MUR 147

86.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.56 MUR 73.9

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.78 MUR 37.18

219.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.11 MUR 52.7

59.46%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.58 MUR 122

14.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.46 MUR 259

84.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.47 MUR 307

56.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$11.27 MUR 535

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.74 MUR 130

51.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.61 MUR 124

-38.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.40 MUR 66.6

60.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.91 MUR 138

-22.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.00 MUR 47.49

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.99 MUR 47.14

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.69 MUR 32.86

69.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.91 MUR 43.37

43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.32 MUR 300

-38.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.34 MUR 396

67.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.69 MUR 80.3

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.32 MUR 110

23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$4.34 MUR 206

-69.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.14 MUR 149

-30.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$21.29 MUR 1,011

-59.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.35 MUR 63.9

1.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$37.1K MUR 1.8M

-25.07%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.1K MUR 1.5M

14.94%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$45.51 MUR 2,162

289.58%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.67 MUR 507

30.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$29.21 MUR 1,388

1.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.48 MUR 308

2.62%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$129 MUR 6,114

531.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$7,597 MUR 360.9K

20.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$77.1 MUR 3,664

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$74.4 MUR 3,533

-20.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$119 MUR 5,668

15.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$78.5 MUR 3,726

30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bel Air: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Bel Air for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $219 per month, with Bel Air 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 176% 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 $2,521 in Medellin and $913 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $609 in Bel Air – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $609 in Bel Air versus $1,681 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 $609 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 176% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.