Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ebene

For one person, living is cheaper in Ebene: $697 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Ebene, Mauritius
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Ebene
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$697
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ebene

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 Ebene actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $697 in Ebene.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Ebene $697

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,197 in Ebene.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Ebene $1,197

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,696 in Ebene.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Ebene $1,696

Living in Medellin is roughly 135% more expensive than in Ebene, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Ebene is 49% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$5.88 MUR 277
37.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$31.88 MUR 1,502
47.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$6.22 MUR 293
52.73%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.57 MUR 121
17.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$0.84 MUR 39.82
114.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$0.52 MUR 24.32
171.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$1.82 MUR 85.8
74.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$2.61 MUR 123
120.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.47 MUR 69.1
2.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$0.73 MUR 34.49
226.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.12 MUR 52.6
58.04%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$2.23 MUR 105
29.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$8.69 MUR 410
17.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$6.18 MUR 292
59.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$10.49 MUR 494
33.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$1.77 MUR 83.6
124.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.20 MUR 56.4
29.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$1.43 MUR 67.5
52.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$2.49 MUR 118
-12.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$0.98 MUR 46.27
100.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$0.97 MUR 45.63
63.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$0.74 MUR 34.99
55.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.51 MUR 24.21
143.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$5.71 MUR 269
-30.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$8.68 MUR 409
57.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.70 MUR 80.1
-2.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.66 MUR 126
-15.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$0.87 MUR 40.93
34.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$4.34 MUR 204
-70.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$3.27 MUR 154
-37.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$21.43 MUR 1,010
-60.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.36 MUR 63.9
-0.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$37.1K MUR 1.7M
-8.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$30.7K MUR 1.4M
13.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$44.82 MUR 2,112
278.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$10.77 MUR 508
25.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$29.75 MUR 1,402
-5.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$28.79 MUR 1,357
51.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$6.23 MUR 294
175.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$5.70 MUR 269
21.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$130 MUR 6,104
515.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,685 MUR 362.2K
18.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$44.20 MUR 2,083
91.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$42.78 MUR 2,016
35.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$47.36 MUR 2,232
184.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$47.29 MUR 2,229
106.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$256 MUR 12.0K
372.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$146 MUR 6,876
339.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$582 MUR 27.4K
248.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$421 MUR 19.8K
140.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ebene
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,146 MUR 54.0K
-42.64%
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 Ebene: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Ebene
$146 77.3% $496
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Ebene
$203 31.5% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Ebene
$85 59.6% $126
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Ebene
$116 31.4% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Ebene
$82 51.6% $87
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Ebene
$24 * 74.2% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Ebene
$40 30.1% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $256 in Ebene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ebene pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $32 in Ebene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $203 per month, with Ebene cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇺 Ebene
🕒 Local time
01:08 1:08 AM
10:08 10:08 AM
9 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
1,001
💱 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 = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 47.13 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.62 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ebene 14,730 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ebene

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 Ebene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ebene cheaper than Medellin?
Ebene is about 57% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Ebene?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Medellin. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Ebene?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $256 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $130 in Ebene. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Ebene?
Dining out is cheaper in Ebene – a meal for two runs $32 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Ebene?
At $697 in Ebene versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ebene but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ebene the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Ebene?
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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