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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,049 in Bel Ombre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,733 in Bel Ombre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,417 in Bel Ombre.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Bel Ombre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bel Ombre 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.74 MUR 316

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$43.87 MUR 2,055

-24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.09 MUR 332

4.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.56 MUR 120

-35.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.03 MUR 48.42

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.55 MUR 25.85

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.26 MUR 106

-23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.26 MUR 153

-2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.71 MUR 79.9

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.65 MUR 30.57

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.27 MUR 59.7

8.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.26 MUR 106

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.95 MUR 560

-62.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.06 MUR 284

-4.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.55 MUR 588

-28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.97 MUR 92.4

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.94 MUR 91.0

-45.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.44 MUR 67.5

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.60 MUR 122

-47.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.03 MUR 48.24

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.00 MUR 46.79

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.79 MUR 37.13

13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.81 MUR 37.78

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.79 MUR 318

-67.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.47 MUR 397

43.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.73 MUR 80.8

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.27 MUR 106

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.04 MUR 48.82

-18.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.28 MUR 200

-66.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.72 MUR 128

-28.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.55 MUR 916

-59.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.46 MUR 68.3

-32.19%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-50.75%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

-6.45%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$48.53 MUR 2,273

71.05%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.11 MUR 848

-46.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$33.67 MUR 1,577

-30.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.66 MUR 1,764

-32.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.99 MUR 281

-34.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$155 MUR 7,276

103.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,932 MUR 184.2K

51.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$86.1 MUR 4,034

-30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$79.6 MUR 3,730

-60.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$131 MUR 6,114

-22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$93.7 MUR 4,387

14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$511 MUR 23.9K

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$348 MUR 16.3K

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$941 MUR 44.1K

-9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$716 MUR 33.5K

0.49%

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 Ombre: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $511 in Bel Ombre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Bel Ombre 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 Ombre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Bel Ombre. 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 $1,574 in Bel Ombre 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 $511 in Bel Ombre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $155 in Bel Ombre. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $44.00 in Bel Ombre. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,049 in Bel Ombre, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bel Ombre. 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 Ombre 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 5% less than in Bel Ombre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.