Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benares Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benares

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $987 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,599 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,212 in Benares, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Benares, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Benares are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Benares 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.64 MUR 312

-7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.59 MUR 2,095

-26.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.51 MUR 306

12.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.68 MUR 126

-35.82%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.01 MUR 47.26

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.57 MUR 26.70

35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.10 MUR 98.5

-19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.78 MUR 130

14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.49 MUR 70.0

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.71 MUR 33.13

83.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.31 MUR 61.7

6.87%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.23 MUR 105

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.11 MUR 475

-56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.17 MUR 290

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.58 MUR 497

-18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.06 MUR 96.9

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.97 MUR 92.8

-43.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.43 MUR 67.3

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.61 MUR 122

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.97 MUR 45.63

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.98 MUR 46.17

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.83 MUR 39.17

2.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 MUR 26.50

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.94 MUR 279

-60.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.62 MUR 405

43.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.72 MUR 80.6

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.10 MUR 98.6

18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.01 MUR 47.26

-16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.51 MUR 212

-68.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.72 MUR 128

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$15.70 MUR 737

-51.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.40 MUR 65.7

-29.29%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.2K MUR 1.7M

-48.72%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-8.06%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$49.88 MUR 2,343

62.01%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.53 MUR 871

-46.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$32.73 MUR 1,537

-26.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.90 MUR 1,780

-33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.11 MUR 287

-34.86%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$155 MUR 7,282

96.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,916 MUR 183.9K

54.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.98 MUR 2,348

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.45 MUR 2,041

-25.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.0 MUR 3,945

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.3 MUR 3,676

37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$509 MUR 23.9K

-6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$357 MUR 16.7K

5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$934 MUR 43.9K

-9.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$720 MUR 33.8K

1.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.25

114.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Benares: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $509 in Benares. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Benares. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $215 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $987 in Benares – roughly 4% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,480 in Benares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $987 in Benares to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Benares. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.