Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ebene Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ebene

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $731 in Ebene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,248 in Ebene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,765 in Ebene.

Living in Medellin is roughly 41% more expensive than Ebene, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ebene 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.1K

$6.69 MUR 313

-11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 116.6K

$32.94 MUR 1,542

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 25.6K

$6.52 MUR 305

10.43%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,054

$2.69 MUR 126

-36.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.91 MUR 42.76

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,569

$0.57 MUR 26.76

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 5,937

$1.85 MUR 86.4

-9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.0K

$2.66 MUR 125

16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,755

$1.55 MUR 72.7

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,434

$0.69 MUR 32.42

81.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,951

$1.27 MUR 59.4

9.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,053

$2.24 MUR 105

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.4K

$9.01 MUR 422

-51.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 20.8K

$6.02 MUR 282

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.4K

$11.03 MUR 516

-19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 7,985

$1.78 MUR 83.3

25.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,827

$1.28 MUR 60.1

-15.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,444

$1.50 MUR 70.1

2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,880

$2.70 MUR 126

-49.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,021

$0.95 MUR 44.32

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,980

$0.93 MUR 43.48

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,014

$0.85 MUR 39.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,235

$0.56 MUR 26.43

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,295

$5.83 MUR 273

-60.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 39.6K

$8.65 MUR 405

28.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,249

$1.68 MUR 78.6

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,433

$2.18 MUR 102

8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,798

$0.92 MUR 42.91

-14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,111

$4.47 MUR 209

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,803

$2.70 MUR 127

-29.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.5K

$19.45 MUR 910

-58.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,337

$1.47 MUR 68.8

-36.05%

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

$17.9K COP 63.8M

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-50.36%

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

$26.8K COP 95.4M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

-8.66%

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

$84.0 COP 298.8K

$49.93 MUR 2,337

68.16%

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

$9.60 COP 34.2K

$18.64 MUR 872

-48.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 86.0K

$32.93 MUR 1,541

-26.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 92.1K

$29.47 MUR 1,379

-12.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 67.8K

$6.65 MUR 311

186.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 13.9K

$5.99 MUR 281

-34.56%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$154 MUR 7,214

98.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.1M

$3,965 MUR 185.6K

49.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 206.1K

$45.47 MUR 2,128

27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 113.3K

$44.28 MUR 2,073

-28.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 355.6K

$48.84 MUR 2,286

104.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 381.3K

$49.97 MUR 2,339

114.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.7M

$259 MUR 12.1K

87.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$153 MUR 7,178

139.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 2.9M

$602 MUR 28.2K

37.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$438 MUR 20.5K

63.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 1.9M

$1,175 MUR 55.0K

-53.59%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ebene: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $259 in Ebene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ebene pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $33 in Ebene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $208 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 Ebene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ebene is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ebene earns 115% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $259 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $154 in Ebene. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $731 in Ebene versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 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.

For families, Ebene is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ebene 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 Ebene gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.