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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 131% 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 24% lower, El Mahalla El Kubra 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.55 E£184

68.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$13.58 E£705

141.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.98 E£207

78.14%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.96 E£49.99

78.13%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.31 E£16.31

254.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.13 E£6.50

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.16 E£60.2

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.02 E£157

1.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.79 E£41.06

37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.29 E£15.03

334.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.58 E£30.30

137.93%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.45 E£75.2

51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.50 E£130

76.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.34 E£225

29.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.32 E£380

21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.29 E£67.1

81.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.58 E£29.98

82.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.42 E£21.84

257.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.27 E£14.04

411.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.35 E£18.34

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.40 E£20.82

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.22 E£11.38

304.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.20 E£10.55

320.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.90 E£98.7

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.70 E£296

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.41 E£73.2

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.57 E£133

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.19 E£9.74

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.41 E£21.50

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.11 E£5.86

1681.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$0.95 E£49.37

714.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.32 E£16.72

196.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.1K E£1.9M

-49.83%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$32.5K E£1.7M

-18.56%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$11.10 E£576

640.99%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.58 E£290

70.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$9.92 E£515

144.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.42 E£1,164

15.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.90 E£151

35.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$33.25 E£1,726

830.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,840 E£95.5K

224.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$18.08 E£938

224.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$43.33 E£2,249

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$108 E£5,594

-4.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$49.98 E£2,594

116.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$193 E£10.0K

146.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$101 E£5,224

276.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$306 E£15.9K

173.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$180 E£9,349

301.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$785 E£40.7K

255.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$397 E£20.6K

204.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $193 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: $188 vs $112 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 131% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $658 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $33.25 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 $438, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,013 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.