Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,783 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,656 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,529 in Mahe.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Mahe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Mahe 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$18.46 SCR 267

-56.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$111 SCR 1,602

-56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.77 SCR 83.4

71.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.52 SCR 94.3

-51.99%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.64 SCR 23.70

16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$13.26 SCR 192

-76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$9.19 SCR 133

-37.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.57 SCR 22.74

-8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.12 SCR 16.14

122.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.82 SCR 26.34

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.34 SCR 62.8

-31.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$16.04 SCR 232

-37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.10 SCR 117

24.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.02 SCR 188

9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.15 SCR 31.09

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.47 SCR 35.70

-8.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.57 SCR 95.0

-65.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.11 SCR 16.02

83.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.11 SCR 16.10

38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.12 SCR 16.15

4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$14.52 SCR 210

-73.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.20 SCR 31.87

30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.81 SCR 11.72

50.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$36.96 SCR 534

117.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$14.72 SCR 213

-40.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.56 SCR 22.60

-12.18%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$51.7 SCR 747

243.01%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$22.10 SCR 320

-37.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$109 SCR 1,571

-72.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$54.5 SCR 789

-17.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.72 SCR 97.2

-1.04%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$30.75 SCR 445

191.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$12.52 SCR 181

371.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$49.08 SCR 710

181.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$61.2 SCR 884

66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$880 SCR 12.7K

20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$882 SCR 12.7K

-24.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,783 SCR 25.8K

5.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,110 SCR 16.1K

-7.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$855 SCR 12.4K

-20.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mahe: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $880 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 26% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $111 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $247, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Mahe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Mahe. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $880 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,783 in Mahe – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,783 in Mahe, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mahe. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,681 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mahe 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 6% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.