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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,773 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,452 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,131 in Mahe.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 43% less than in Mahe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Mahe is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$15.32 SCR 221

-61.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$70.3 SCR 1,015

-52.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.87 SCR 114

-8.13%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.31 SCR 62.2

-62.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.32 SCR 33.57

-53.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.76 SCR 25.46

-58.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.39 SCR 121

-79.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$5.26 SCR 75.9

-38.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.53 SCR 22.09

-31.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.10 SCR 15.86

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.77 SCR 25.50

-25.42%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.16 SCR 60.1

-45.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$15.28 SCR 221

-71.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.72 SCR 111

-23.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.51 SCR 181

-31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.09 SCR 30.19

7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.32 SCR 33.45

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.23 SCR 75.5

-72.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.96 SCR 13.85

21.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.93 SCR 13.48

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 SCR 15.29

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$12.35 SCR 178

-81.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.11 SCR 30.49

-45.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.14 SCR 30.94

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.82 SCR 11.79

2.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$24.02 SCR 347

74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$10.43 SCR 151

-86.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.04 SCR 43.97

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$10.25 SCR 148

-24.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.55 SCR 22.39

-34.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$81.7 SCR 1,180

2.40%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$20.89 SCR 302

-54.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$164 SCR 2,375

-85.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$53.1 SCR 767

-52.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.13 SCR 88.6

-33.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.01 SCR 390

114.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$11.18 SCR 161

191.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$44.57 SCR 644

123.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$54.0 SCR 779

101.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$845 SCR 12.2K

-42.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$849 SCR 12.3K

-55.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,711 SCR 24.7K

-51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,020 SCR 14.7K

-29.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$878 SCR 12.7K

-38.37%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mahe: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $845 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 62% 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 $190 vs $242 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 74% 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, Mahe earns 62% less. 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: $482 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 27% higher in Mahe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,773 in Mahe – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,773 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 $1,017 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 74% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.