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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $686 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $949 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 305% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.0K

$4.26 E£217

88.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.6K

$14.91 E£758

223.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.07 E£156

218.24%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,085

$1.36 E£69.0

113.97%

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

$1.94 COP 6,067

$0.32 E£16.12

506.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,749

$0.12 E£6.28

1166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,653

$1.39 E£70.8

122.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.91 E£148

97.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,257

$0.85 E£43.44

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,452

$0.29 E£14.62

724.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,308

$0.57 E£29.25

198.25%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,957

$1.23 E£62.8

133.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.0K

$2.98 E£151

233.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.10 E£208

162.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.61 E£387

93.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.60 E£81.5

155.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,906

$0.67 E£34.19

134.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,635

$0.51 E£25.87

317.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,910

$0.37 E£19.02

497.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,389

$0.27 E£13.79

659.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,695

$0.33 E£16.92

354.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,714

$0.29 E£14.86

310.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,615

$0.22 E£11.21

427.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.93 E£98.4

102.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.00 E£305

140.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,943

$1.31 E£66.8

20.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,826

$2.69 E£137

5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,646

$0.17 E£8.76

588.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,009

$0.33 E£16.64

287.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,530

$0.45 E£22.92

364.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$0.94 E£47.81

817.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,052

$0.40 E£20.35

225.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.3M

$32.8K E£1.7M

-15.72%

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

$35.5K COP 110.8M

$23.6K E£1.2M

50.48%

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

$176 COP 549.6K

$14.19 E£722

1140.80%

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

$13.37 COP 41.7K

$4.12 E£210

224.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.3K

$8.95 E£455

233.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.7K

$17.98 E£915

148.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$2.99 E£152

107.36%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$32.73 E£1,665

2323.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$2,190 E£111.4K

311.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.2K

$17.20 E£875

397.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.5K

$45.15 E£2,297

29.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.4K

$107 E£5,450

27.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 321.8K

$55.9 E£2,841

84.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$130 E£6,627

713.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$74.2 E£3,775

815.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$263 E£13.4K

666.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.6M

$154 E£7,824

659.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$787 E£40.0K

422.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$409 E£20.8K

315.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

21.33

-48.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $130 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $116 – 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: $1,716 in Medellin, $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 305% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $636 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $32.73 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 $424, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,716 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.