Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $691 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $948 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 137% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and El Mahalla El Kubra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, El Mahalla El Kubra 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.52 E£180

75.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.01 E£715

132.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.94 E£201

86.29%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.95 E£48.75

81.05%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.29 E£14.73

262.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.11 E£5.74

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.18 E£60.1

43.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.90 E£148

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.81 E£41.35

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.29 E£14.55

348.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.53 E£27.22

164.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.40 E£71.5

54.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.43 E£124

80.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.27 E£218

37.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.36 E£375

17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.29 E£65.7

76.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.54 E£27.59

105.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.43 E£21.92

255.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.27 E£13.86

400.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.32 E£16.54

253.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.41 E£20.92

175.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.24 E£12.28

254.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.17 E£8.69

435.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.98 E£101

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.90 E£301

109.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.40 E£71.5

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.59 E£132

-3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.19 E£9.81

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.39 E£19.88

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.11 E£5.55

1645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.01 E£51.3

658.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.32 E£16.58

209.37%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.1K E£1.8M

-50.04%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.3K E£1.7M

-19.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$11.53 E£589

600.87%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.73 E£293

73.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$9.84 E£502

145.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.96 E£1,121

14.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.94 E£150

35.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$33.28 E£1,699

817.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,818 E£92.8K

233.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.04 E£921

222.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.55 E£2,223

-26.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$109 E£5,561

-7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$49.70 E£2,537

116.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$191 E£9,775

148.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$100 E£5,106

276.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$310 E£15.8K

172.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$178 E£9,107

309.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$900 E£46.0K

257.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$447 E£22.8K

206.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-21.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $191 in El Mahalla El Kubra. 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 $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $111 – making El Mahalla El Kubra 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 El Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 137% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $651 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Mahalla El Kubra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $33.28 in El Mahalla El Kubra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Mahalla El Kubra, where all-in costs run around $434, than in Medellin at $1,031. In El Mahalla El Kubra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,031 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 El Mahalla El Kubra. 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.