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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,784 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,445 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,106 in Mahe.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 42% less than in Mahe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Mahe is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$15.78 SCR 228

-62.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$67.9 SCR 980

-51.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.88 SCR 114

-8.63%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.24 SCR 61.2

-59.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.42 SCR 34.88

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.77 SCR 25.48

-59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$8.11 SCR 117

-79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$5.20 SCR 75.0

-40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.53 SCR 22.11

-30.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.05 SCR 15.18

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.78 SCR 25.64

-21.91%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.04 SCR 58.3

-44.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$15.27 SCR 220

-71.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.91 SCR 114

-26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.28 SCR 177

-28.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.04 SCR 29.51

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.25 SCR 32.41

-32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$5.04 SCR 72.8

-72.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.95 SCR 13.77

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.02 SCR 14.65

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 SCR 14.77

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$12.25 SCR 177

-80.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.09 SCR 30.20

-43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.12 SCR 30.64

11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.81 SCR 11.73

-2.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$24.36 SCR 352

68.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$10.49 SCR 151

-86.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.06 SCR 44.14

-37.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.17 SCR 147

-21.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.61 SCR 23.26

-41.61%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$83.3 SCR 1,202

0.76%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.49 SCR 296

-53.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$162 SCR 2,330

-85.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$51.6 SCR 745

-49.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.18 SCR 89.2

-36.57%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$27.83 SCR 402

108.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$11.18 SCR 161

184.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$43.96 SCR 634

127.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$55.6 SCR 802

92.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$841 SCR 12.1K

-42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$868 SCR 12.5K

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,698 SCR 24.5K

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,057 SCR 15.2K

-32.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$970 SCR 14.0K

-43.75%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahe: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $841 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 78% 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 $68.0 in Mahe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $239 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 73% 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 78% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $841 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,784 in Mahe – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,784 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 $1,034 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 73% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.