Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,524 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,378 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,232 in Male.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Male is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.51 MVR 85.0

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$29.17 MVR 450

12.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.86 MVR 152

-28.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.86 MVR 44.15

-40.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.28 MVR 19.76

-14.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.25 MVR 3.83

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.79 MVR 27.55

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.55 MVR 23.96

-18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.35 MVR 20.89

2.22%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.80 MVR 27.76

21.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.27 MVR 128

-46.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.30 MVR 97.1

-10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.12 MVR 141

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.78 MVR 58.3

-71.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.33 MVR 66.8

-65.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.19 MVR 49.24

-56.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.49 MVR 22.98

-22.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.23 MVR 18.91

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$3.06 MVR 47.22

-70.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.51 MVR 7.83

64.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.33 MVR 128

-72.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.66 MVR 10.18

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$28.81 MVR 444

43.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.94 MVR 29.87

-24.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.91 MVR 29.43

2.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.96 MVR 154

-22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.92 MVR 14.17

3.26%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

-43.77%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

-23.52%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$105 MVR 1,613

-21.35%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$41.62 MVR 642

-77.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$76.6 MVR 1,182

-68.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$80.6 MVR 1,242

-67.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$43.50 MVR 671

-56.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.81 MVR 151

-59.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$163 MVR 2,521

89.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

64.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.36 MVR 700

29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$55.8 MVR 860

-42.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$89.7 MVR 1,383

14.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$54.4 MVR 839

99.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$970 MVR 15.0K

-50.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$700 MVR 10.8K

-45.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

-50.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

-49.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

21.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

-36.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$857 MVR 13.2K

-40.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.4

8.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $970 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 67% 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 $29.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $232, with Medellin 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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Male earns 67% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $970 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,524 in Male – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 44% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,524 in Male, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Male 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 50% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.