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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,488 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,416 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $3,344 in Male.

Living in Medellin is roughly 10% more expensive than in Male, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Male 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.03 MVR 93.0

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$39.37 MVR 607

22.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.61 MVR 148

-1.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 MVR 76.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MVR 76.7

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.52 MVR 54.3

-16.48%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.59 MVR 24.58

16.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.31 MVR 4.85

370.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.04 MVR 31.46

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.70 MVR 26.18

41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.20 MVR 18.50

41.67%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.95 MVR 30.10

48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.84 MVR 167

-7.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.93 MVR 91.5

68.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.35 MVR 144

51.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.86 MVR 59.5

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.11 MVR 48.02

-49.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$4.17 MVR 64.4

-48.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.66 MVR 41.05

-13.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.10 MVR 32.32

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.91 MVR 29.39

-20.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.16 MVR 33.25

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.57 MVR 8.85

124.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$14.59 MVR 225

-73.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.67 MVR 10.29

86.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$30.14 MVR 465

158.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.98 MVR 30.59

-33.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.89 MVR 29.18

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$10.17 MVR 157

-18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.03 MVR 15.84

32.04%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$32.4K MVR 499.6K

-15.20%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$29.4K MVR 454.0K

24.09%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$119 MVR 1,831

42.09%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.81 MVR 460

-54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$74.1 MVR 1,142

-61.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$70.9 MVR 1,094

-35.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$34.22 MVR 528

-49.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$9.75 MVR 150

-31.79%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$181 MVR 2,797

342.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,038 MVR 46.8K

202.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$38.85 MVR 599

124.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$48.67 MVR 751

21.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$85.6 MVR 1,319

62.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$52.1 MVR 803

96.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$940 MVR 14.5K

13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$707 MVR 10.9K

-7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,060 MVR 31.8K

-6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,532 MVR 23.6K

-31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,269 MVR 35.0K

81.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,389 MVR 21.4K

22.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$824 MVR 12.7K

-20.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-21.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Male: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $940 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $234 per month, with Male 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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Male is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Male. 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $940 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,488 in Male – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Male runs roughly 158% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,488 in Male versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Male but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Male the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Male is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Male gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.