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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $734 in Ebene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,266 in Ebene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,798 in Ebene.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than Ebene, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ebene 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.55 MUR 308

-9.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.73 MUR 1,541

1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.41 MUR 302

12.79%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.67 MUR 126

-38.95%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.92 MUR 43.12

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.58 MUR 27.09

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.92 MUR 90.5

-9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.63 MUR 124

22.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.52 MUR 71.4

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.67 MUR 31.34

92.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.27 MUR 60.0

3.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.27 MUR 107

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.69 MUR 409

-49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.18 MUR 291

-4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.91 MUR 514

-21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.78 MUR 83.8

26.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.23 MUR 57.9

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.43 MUR 67.4

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.63 MUR 124

-46.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.01 MUR 47.65

15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.94 MUR 44.45

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.80 MUR 37.70

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.54 MUR 25.34

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.00 MUR 283

-62.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.52 MUR 401

29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.70 MUR 79.9

-32.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.25 MUR 106

5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.90 MUR 42.48

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.35 MUR 205

-67.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.59 MUR 122

-26.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.67 MUR 926

-60.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-30.82%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-51.29%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

-9.43%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$49.80 MUR 2,345

68.03%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.65 MUR 878

-49.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$33.81 MUR 1,592

-28.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$29.66 MUR 1,397

-14.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.61 MUR 311

189.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.16 MUR 290

-33.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$156 MUR 7,345

99.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,989 MUR 187.9K

50.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.96 MUR 2,164

26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$43.57 MUR 2,051

-25.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$48.64 MUR 2,290

104.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$50.2 MUR 2,366

116.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$266 MUR 12.5K

81.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$156 MUR 7,363

142.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$603 MUR 28.4K

38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$435 MUR 20.5K

66.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,160 MUR 54.6K

-53.38%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ebene: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $266 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $33.00 in Ebene for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $205 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 38% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $266 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $156 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 $734 in Ebene versus $1,017 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.