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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $634 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,042 in Grand Bois, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Grand Bois, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Grand Bois, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Grand Bois is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.67 MUR 269

41.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$38.87 MUR 1,846

23.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.55 MUR 359

30.99%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.60 MUR 124

20.38%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.18 MUR 56.2

61.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.62 MUR 29.56

143.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.66 MUR 127

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.85 MUR 230

18.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.54 MUR 73.1

-6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.78 MUR 37.23

219.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.15 MUR 54.6

53.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.66 MUR 126

11.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.22 MUR 248

92.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.55 MUR 311

54.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$11.39 MUR 541

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.76 MUR 131

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.66 MUR 127

-39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.43 MUR 68.1

57.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.95 MUR 140

-23.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.99 MUR 47.08

106.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.99 MUR 47.04

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.73 MUR 34.84

60.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.85 MUR 40.26

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.44 MUR 306

-39.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.53 MUR 405

64.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.62 MUR 77.0

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.38 MUR 113

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$4.33 MUR 206

-69.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.22 MUR 153

-31.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$21.27 MUR 1,010

-59.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.39 MUR 66.0

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$36.8K MUR 1.7M

-24.37%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.2K MUR 1.5M

14.62%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$45.39 MUR 2,156

290.61%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.45 MUR 496

32.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$29.48 MUR 1,400

0.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.18 MUR 294

7.61%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$127 MUR 6,013

542.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$7,698 MUR 365.6K

19.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$77.1 MUR 3,663

16.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$75.0 MUR 3,560

-21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$119 MUR 5,661

15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$79.1 MUR 3,759

29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Grand Bois: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Grand Bois. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $219 – making Grand Bois 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 Grand Bois: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $951 in Grand Bois. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $634 in Grand Bois. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $127 in Grand Bois. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Grand Bois, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Grand Bois it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Grand Bois – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Grand Bois. 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.