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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,776 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,441 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,105 in Mahe.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 44% less than in Mahe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Mahe is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$15.30 SCR 221

-61.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$70.4 SCR 1,017

-53.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.09 SCR 117

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.43 SCR 64.0

-62.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.28 SCR 33.00

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.74 SCR 25.17

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$8.20 SCR 119

-79.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.08 SCR 73.5

-37.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.58 SCR 22.82

-30.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.06 SCR 15.27

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.76 SCR 25.48

-21.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.05 SCR 58.5

-46.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$15.62 SCR 226

-71.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.88 SCR 114

-26.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.33 SCR 178

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.07 SCR 29.99

12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.22 SCR 32.14

-31.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$5.34 SCR 77.3

-74.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.93 SCR 13.40

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.01 SCR 14.64

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 SCR 14.74

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$11.96 SCR 173

-81.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.13 SCR 30.81

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.09 SCR 30.23

18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.81 SCR 11.72

4.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$24.10 SCR 348

72.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$10.42 SCR 151

-86.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.17 SCR 45.77

-38.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$10.47 SCR 151

-24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.57 SCR 22.66

-36.94%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$84.4 SCR 1,220

-1.66%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.61 SCR 298

-52.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$161 SCR 2,331

-85.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$51.9 SCR 750

-51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.22 SCR 89.9

-36.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.85 SCR 403

115.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$11.12 SCR 161

186.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$44.53 SCR 644

128.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$55.5 SCR 803

93.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$845 SCR 12.2K

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$835 SCR 12.1K

-55.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,748 SCR 25.3K

-51.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,033 SCR 14.9K

-30.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$902 SCR 13.0K

-30.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $845 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 44% 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 $70.0 in Mahe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $243 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 Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 77% 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 44% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $845 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mahe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,776 in Mahe – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,776 in Mahe, a $1,500 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 $1,003 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 77% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.