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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $970 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,570 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,171 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 24% lower, Benares 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.69 MUR 316

-10.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$43.19 MUR 2,041

-23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.40 MUR 303

10.78%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.64 MUR 125

-35.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.01 MUR 47.64

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.57 MUR 26.90

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.06 MUR 97.5

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.75 MUR 130

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.52 MUR 71.9

-28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.65 MUR 30.75

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.33 MUR 62.9

3.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.36 MUR 111

-7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.68 MUR 457

-54.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.22 MUR 294

-9.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.48 MUR 495

-15.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.07 MUR 98.0

13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.99 MUR 94.0

-46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.45 MUR 68.5

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.62 MUR 124

-47.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.02 MUR 48.42

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.95 MUR 44.88

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.80 MUR 37.74

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 MUR 27.09

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.20 MUR 293

-63.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.29 MUR 392

28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.79 MUR 84.7

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.10 MUR 99.3

17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.04 MUR 49.23

-17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.33 MUR 205

-66.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.69 MUR 127

-27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.33 MUR 724

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.39 MUR 65.8

-31.65%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-48.96%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-8.50%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$50.3 MUR 2,376

63.55%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.59 MUR 878

-48.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$32.34 MUR 1,528

-25.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$37.89 MUR 1,790

-31.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.08 MUR 287

-35.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$151 MUR 7,149

104.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,885 MUR 183.6K

53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$51.1 MUR 2,413

14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$43.42 MUR 2,052

-25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$83.5 MUR 3,946

22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$77.8 MUR 3,675

39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$504 MUR 23.8K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$354 MUR 16.7K

6.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$931 MUR 44.0K

-9.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$718 MUR 33.9K

0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benares: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $504 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 $43.00 in Benares. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $214 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $970 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,454 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 $43.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% 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 $970, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $970 in Benares to $1,013 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.