Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grand Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grand Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,149 in Grand Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,332 in Grand Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $3,515 in Grand Bay.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 10% less than in Grand Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Grand Bay 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.10 MUR 381

-23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$50.4 MUR 2,367

-35.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.42 MUR 302

14.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.55 MUR 120

-32.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.95 MUR 44.67

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.55 MUR 25.95

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.24 MUR 152

-47.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.26 MUR 153

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.28 MUR 60.3

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.65 MUR 30.63

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.33 MUR 62.6

5.26%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.27 MUR 106

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$33.41 MUR 1,569

-86.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.31 MUR 297

-6.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$21.99 MUR 1,033

-60.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.78 MUR 83.4

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.93 MUR 90.5

-42.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.45 MUR 68.2

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.72 MUR 128

-50.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.00 MUR 46.85

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 MUR 46.82

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.80 MUR 37.44

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.43 MUR 20.25

111.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.51 MUR 306

-64.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.26 MUR 388

49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.71 MUR 80.5

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.61 MUR 75.7

54.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.09 MUR 51.0

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.49 MUR 211

-68.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.70 MUR 127

-28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.14 MUR 946

-61.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.41 MUR 66.3

-29.79%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-49.16%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-6.58%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$50.1 MUR 2,352

61.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.43 MUR 725

-35.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$31.51 MUR 1,480

-23.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$60.5 MUR 2,843

-58.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.90 MUR 277

-32.54%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$154 MUR 7,240

97.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,053 MUR 378.2K

-24.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.0 MUR 2,538

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$77.8 MUR 3,654

-58.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$116 MUR 5,456

-13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.1 MUR 3,902

29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$634 MUR 29.8K

-24.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$359 MUR 16.9K

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,295 MUR 60.8K

-34.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,519 MUR 71.4K

-51.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,319 MUR 61.9K

-53.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Grand Bay: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $634 in Grand Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grand Bay pays 114% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $50.0 in Grand Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $313 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 Grand Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 114% lower in Grand Bay. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $634 in Grand Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $154 in Grand Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $50.0 in Grand Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,149 in Grand Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Grand Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Grand Bay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Grand Bay 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Grand Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.