Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bel Ombre

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Ombre: $628 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Bel Ombre, Mauritius
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Bel Ombre
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$628
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bel Ombre

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bel Ombre actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $628 in Bel Ombre.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Bel Ombre $628

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,053 in Bel Ombre.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Bel Ombre $1,053

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,477 in Bel Ombre.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Bel Ombre $1,477

Living in Medellin is roughly 161% more expensive than in Bel Ombre, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Bel Ombre is 54% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$6.00 MUR 279
34.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$38.08 MUR 1,774
23.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$7.60 MUR 354
25.00%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$2.61 MUR 121
15.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.13 MUR 52.7
59.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$0.68 MUR 31.74
107.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.71 MUR 126
17.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$4.80 MUR 224
19.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$1.57 MUR 73.1
-3.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$0.77 MUR 36.07
209.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$1.11 MUR 51.9
59.46%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$2.65 MUR 123
9.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$5.42 MUR 252
88.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$6.33 MUR 295
55.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$11.25 MUR 524
24.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.89 MUR 135
37.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$2.69 MUR 125
-42.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$1.46 MUR 68.1
49.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$3.02 MUR 141
-27.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$0.94 MUR 43.67
108.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$1.00 MUR 46.36
59.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$0.70 MUR 32.49
64.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.92 MUR 42.92
34.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$6.28 MUR 292
-36.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$8.28 MUR 386
65.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.65 MUR 77.1
0.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$2.38 MUR 111
-5.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$4.15 MUR 193
-69.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$3.19 MUR 149
-35.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$21.58 MUR 1,005
-60.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$1.35 MUR 62.9
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$37.1K MUR 1.7M
-8.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$30.6K MUR 1.4M
13.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$45.18 MUR 2,105
275.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$10.41 MUR 485
30.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$29.70 MUR 1,383
-5.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$6.30 MUR 293
9.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$130 MUR 6,037
514.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,577 MUR 352.9K
20.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$78.5 MUR 3,657
7.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$74.5 MUR 3,469
-22.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$119 MUR 5,565
12.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$78.7 MUR 3,667
24.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bel Ombre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bel Ombre: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Bel Ombre
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Bel Ombre
$220 26% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Bel Ombre
$85 59.6% $126
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Bel Ombre
$132 21.9% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Bel Ombre
$158 6.5% $11
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Bel Ombre
$20 * 78.5% $73
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Bel Ombre
$13 * 78.1% $45

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $38 in Bel Ombre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $220 per month, with Bel Ombre cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇺 Bel Ombre
🕒 Local time
11:37 11:37 AM
20:37 8:37 PM
9 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
2,417
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 46.58 MUR (100 MUR = 2.15 USD). 1 EUR = 51.98 MUR (100 MUR = 1.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Bel Ombre 14,710 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Bel Ombre

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Bel Ombre?
Bel Ombre wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bel Ombre the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Bel Ombre?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $942 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and in Bel Ombre?
Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $130 in Bel Ombre. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Bel Ombre?
Dining out is cheaper in Bel Ombre – a meal for two runs $38 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Medellin or in Bel Ombre?
At $628 in Bel Ombre versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $800 budget is realistic in Bel Ombre but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Ombre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Bel Ombre?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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