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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $722 in Ebene.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,238 in Ebene.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,754 in Ebene.

Living in Medellin is roughly 39% more expensive than in Ebene, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ebene 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$6.70 MUR 316

-11.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$33.05 MUR 1,561

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.57 MUR 310

13.09%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.66 MUR 125

-37.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.93 MUR 43.74

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.53 MUR 25.16

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.92 MUR 90.8

-10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.70 MUR 127

17.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.57 MUR 74.1

-29.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.65 MUR 30.51

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.28 MUR 60.5

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.32 MUR 110

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.68 MUR 410

-48.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.25 MUR 295

-7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.85 MUR 512

-17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.88 MUR 89.0

23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.28 MUR 60.4

-17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.44 MUR 67.9

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.74 MUR 129

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.97 MUR 45.87

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.98 MUR 46.38

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.83 MUR 39.21

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.58 MUR 27.25

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$6.09 MUR 288

-63.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.46 MUR 400

43.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.74 MUR 82.3

-31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.17 MUR 103

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.92 MUR 43.40

-7.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$4.29 MUR 202

-66.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$2.66 MUR 125

-26.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$19.94 MUR 941

-60.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.42 MUR 67.0

-30.28%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-51.46%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-7.60%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$48.98 MUR 2,313

69.48%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$18.38 MUR 868

-47.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$33.60 MUR 1,587

-30.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$29.86 MUR 1,410

-15.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$6.73 MUR 318

183.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.04 MUR 285

-34.60%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$151 MUR 7,150

108.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$3,893 MUR 183.8K

53.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$46.89 MUR 2,214

27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$44.13 MUR 2,084

-27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$49.74 MUR 2,349

104.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$50.3 MUR 2,373

113.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$263 MUR 12.4K

80.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$154 MUR 7,260

143.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$601 MUR 28.4K

41.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$439 MUR 20.7K

64.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,143 MUR 54.0K

-45.37%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ebene: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $263 in Ebene. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ebene pays 83% 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 $193 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Ebene. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $263 in Ebene. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $151 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 $722 in Ebene versus $1,003 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 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.